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A 

DISPLAY 

OP    THE 

RELIGIOUS  PRINCIPLES 


ASSOCIATE    SYNOD 


NORTH  AMERICA. 


ilXtiistls  is  tfie  ^ssDtmtt  ^jnolr,  1813. 


Behold,  I  come  quickly :  hold  fast  that  which  thou  hast. — Bev.  ill.  11. 
liCt  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  without  wavering. — Heb.  x.  23. 


FEINTED  BY  AtlTHORITY  OF  THE  ASSOCIATE   SYNOD  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


SEVENTH  EDITION,  WITH  NOTES. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

WILLIAM  S.  YOUNG,  173  RACE  STREET. 

185  0. 


KIITCBTOH 

F.tC.JUN  !«8i 

theological/ 

This  volume  contains  all  the  printed  papers  which 
display  the  religious  principles  of  the  Associate  Pres- 
bytery of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  people  of  their  com- 
munion. 

The  Presbytery  have  studied  plainness  and  perspi- 
cuity, in  stating  their  religious  profession,  more  than 
elegance  of  style.  The  Apostle  says,  1  Tim.  iii.  15, 
that  the  church  of  Christ  is  ^^the  pillar  and  ground  of 
the  truth  -"  that  is,  the  church  is  a  public  witness  of 
the  truth,  and  he  alludes  to  the  custom  among  the  Ro- 
mans, of  inscribing  the  edicts  of  magistrates,  presently 
in  force,  upon  pillars  erected  in  public  places,  and  in 
courts  of  judgment,  that  all  might  know  them,  and 
govern  themselves  accordingly. 

That  this  collection  may  be  the  means  of  spreading 
the  knowledge  of  reformation  principles,  of  removing 
prejudices  from  the  minds  of  the  generation,  and  uni- 
ting the  hearts  of  the  Lord's  people  in  love  and  in  the 
truth,  that  they  may  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one 
accord,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  is 
the  hearty  desire  of  William  Marshall. 

Philadelphia,  June  17,  1794. 

% 


ACT  OF  THE  ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERY, 

APPROVING   THE  ENSUING   NARRATIVE. 

Philadelphia,  October  25,  1784. 

The  Presbytery  having  judged  it  necessary  that  a 
Narrative  concerning  what  the  Lord  has  done  for 
that  part  of  his  church  with  which  they  stand  most  im- 
mediately connected,  and  concerning  the  testimony 
which,  to  this  day,  has  been  maintained  in  it,  against 
various  opinions  and  measures  injurious  to  his  cause, 
should  be  prefixed  to  their  Declaration  and  Testimony; 
a  draught  of  this  Narrative  having  been  considered  at 
several  meetings,  was  at  last  finished ;  and  in  this  and  the 
preceding  day,  it  was  read  by  paragraphs.  The  ques- 
tion was  put,  "Approve  of  this  Narrative,  or  not?"  it 
was  carried,  "  Approve."  Wherefore  the  Presbytery 
did,  and  hereby  do,  judicially  approve  this  Narrative, 
as  what  they  judge  necessary,  both  as  a  Testimony  by 
them  to  the  cause  and  work  of  God  in  former  times, 
and  as  an  account  they  are,  in  duty  bound,  to  give  the 
present  and  following  generations,  that  they  may  not 
forget  the  works  of  God.  The  Presbytery  do,  however, 
declare  that  an  adherence  to  this  Narrative,  as  is  evi- 
dent from  the  nature  of  the  work,  can  make  no  part  of 
that  profession  which  will  be  required  of  church  mem- 
bers upon  their  admission  to  communion  with  us. 

This,  by  order  of  the  Presbytery,  is  signed, 

William  Marshall,  Moderator. 
Extracted  by 

John  Anderson,  Presbytery  Clerk. 

4 


PBITTGHTOIT 
-I5I18S1 

CONCERNING  THE  MAIlfi*ENA1^ClE: 

OF  THE 

REFORMATION  TESTIMONY. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Of  the  Warrant  we  have  from  the  word  of  God,  and  from 
the  Practice  of  his  People,  to  maintain  a  direct  and  public 
Testimony  for  the  Truth. 

There  is  no  service  acceptable  to  G-od,  beside  that 
which  he  hath  appointed.  His  word  is  a  light  to  our 
feet,  and  a  lamp  to  our  path.  According  to  it  we  study 
to  walk ;  by  it  let  our  faith  and  practice  be  tried.  If 
any  ask,  by  what  authority  we  prove  it  to  be  our  duty 
to  testify,  in  the  manner  we  do,  for  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,  and  against  the  prevailing  errors  of  our  time, 
our  answer  is,  The  Lord  hath  commanded  us.  He 
who  is  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  Witness,  and 
who  himself  before  Pontius  Pilate  witnessed  a  good 
confession,  describes  his  people,  both  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testament,  by  the  name  of  Witnesses;  and  the 
design  of  this,  as  of  every  other  name  by  which  they 
are  described  in  the  oracles  of  Grod,  is  to  put  them  in 
mind  of  their  duty.  Moreover,  the  Lord  has  promised, 
that  they  shall  be  his  witnesses.    And  this  promise  was 


6  NARRATIVE. 

not  confined  to  the  apostles :  the  testimony  of  Jesus  was 
not  to  die  with  them.  It  was  to  be  maintained  by  the 
succeeding  generations  of  Christians.  The  things  which 
thou  hast  heard  of  me  among  many  witnesses,  said  Paul 
to  Timothy,  the  same  commit  thou  to  faithful  men,  who 
shalt  he  able  to  teach  others.  The  testimony  of  Jesus 
was  maintained  in  the  lowest  state  of  the  church,  in 
the  days  of  Antichrist's  reign.  After  the  witnesses  of 
that  period  had  finished  their  testimony,  or  performed 
their  appointed  service  in  the  church  militant,  and  after 
the  enemies  of  Christ  had  prevailed  so  far,  that  they 
imagined  their  victory  complete,  this  testimony  was 
revived  in  the  Reformation.  Surely  it  is  our  duty  to 
hold  fast  what  we  have  thus  attained,  and  what  has 
been  transmitted  to  us  by  the  goodness  of  God,  watch- 
ing over  his  church  from  age  to  age,  and  remembering 
it  in  its  low  estate,  and  saving  it  from  the  hand  of  those 
who  hated  it,  and  redeeming  it  from  the  hand  of  the 
enemy.  Surely  it  is  our  duty  to  follow  the  footsteps 
of  the  most  faithful  and  most  zealous  servants  of  Christ, 
who  have  confessed  him  before  men,  kept  the  word  of 
his  patience,  and  testified  against  the  prevailing  wick- 
edness of  their  times,  at  the  hazard,  often  the  expense 
of  their  lives.  They  overcame  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  and  the  word  of  their  testimony;  and  so  must 
we,  or  we  cannot  attain,  together  with  them,  what  is 
expressed  in  the  promise  of  Christ,  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  give  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as 
I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  ivith  my  Father  in 
his  throne. 

All  true  Christians  do,  in  some  degree,  maintain  the 
testimony  of  Jesus ;  but  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  them, 
through  weakness  or  prejudice,  neglecting  some  special 
part  of  it.  Often  the  fear  of  man,  which  bringeth  a 
snare,  deters  them  from  some  part  of  their  duty;  while 
the  remaining  corruption  of  their  hearts  sets  them  upon 


NARRATIVE.  7 

excusing,  yea,  vindicating  themselves  in  this  neglect. 
In  such  cases,  Christians  are  great  losers  themselves : 
for  the  Lord's  service  carries  in  it  its  own  reward ;  and 
the  more  faithful  we  are  in  it,  we  shall  find  it  the  more 
profitable  to  us.  The  interest  of  the  church  sufiers  also : 
those  truths  and  duties  for  which  no  proper  testimony 
is  maintained,  are,  as  it  were,  lost. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  hath  said.  Whosoever  shall  confess  me 
he/ore  merij  him  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father  who 
is  in  heaven;  hut  whosoever  shall  he  ashamed  of  me,  and 
of  my  words,  in  this  adidterous  and  sinful  generationj 
of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  he  ashamed,  ichen  he 
cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with  the  holy  angels. 
It  is  by.  confessing  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  we  testify  our 
love  to  him,  our  sense  of  the  obligations  we  are  under 
to  the  God  of  all  grace,  our  esteem  of  his  word,  and 
our  resolution  to  hold  it  fast,  whatever  we  may  sufi'er 
for  so  doing.  It  is  thus  that  we  declare  ourselves  on 
Christ's  side,  and  renounce  all  fellowship  with  his 
enemies  in  their  devices  against  him,  in  their  disobe- 
dience to  his  laws,  and  in  their  contempt  of  his  salva- 
tion. It  is  thus  we  give  to  God  that  glory,  due  to  his 
name,  which  the  wicked  refuse  to  give.  And  the  more 
open,  full,  and  particular  this  confession  and  testimony 
is,  it  is  so  much  the  more  fit  to  answer  the  ends  de- 
fiigned  by  it. 

Such  a  testimony  is  necessary  for  transmitting  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  to  following  generations;  pure,  with- 
out a  mixture  of  error;  and  entire,  no  article  of  it  being 
lost.  Though  no  article  of  the  truth  shall  ever  be 
wholly  lost;  though  it  is  all  preserved  in  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures ;  yet  many  articles  of  it  may  be  forgotten  among  a 
people  professing  Christianity,  and  so  lost  to  them. 
During  the  rise,  progress,  and  reign  of  Antichrist,  vari- 
ous important  truths  were  so  generally  forgotten,  that 
although  the  evidence  for  them  in  Scripture  was  plain 


8  NARRATIVE. 

and  strong,  many  can  hardly  be  persuaded,  that  what 
was  so  long  forgotten  among  Christians  belongs  to 
Christianity.  We  ought,  therefore,  to  give  the  more 
earnest  heed  to  those  truths,  the  knowledge  of  which 
was,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  revived  at  the  Refor- 
mation; lest,  in  this  time  of  prevailing  apostacy,  we. 
should  let  them  slip.  What  we  have  heard  and  knowiij 
and  our  fathers  have  told  us,  we  should  not  hide  from 
tlieir  children,  showing  to  the  generation  to  come  the 
praises  of  the  Lord,  and  his  strength,  and  the  wonder- 
ful works  that  he  hath  done. 

Such  a  testimony  is  necessary  as  a  reproof  to  back- 
sliding Christians,  who  are  fallen  into  a  spiritual  sleep; 
or  who,  being  timorous,  will  not,  by  an  open  confession 
of  the  truth,  expose  themselves  to  the  reproach  of  gain- 
sayers;  or  who,  through  too  great  love  to  this  present 
world,  do,  in  many  instances,  seek  their  own  rather 
than  the  things  of  Christ;  or  who  are  so  far  led  astray, 
that  they  set  themselves  against  some  part  of  the  truth 
of  the  gospel.  Whatever  may  be  good  in  such,  is  no 
reason  why  we  should  not  oppose  what  is  evil  in  them. 
The  good  principles  they  may  retain,  do  not  make  their 
evil  principles  less  dangerous.  Their  piety  does  not 
make  the  working  of  their  corruption  less  hurtful.  Do 
Christians  often  err  in  their  practice  ?  So  do  they  also 
in  their  principles :  they  are  no  more  infallible  in  the 
one  than  in  the  other.  Would  it  be  reckoned  an  ab- 
surdity to  say,  that  no  evil  practice  of  which  a  Chris- 
tian may  be  habitually  guilty,  ought  to  be  reproved  ?  It 
is  not  less  an  absurdity  to  say,  that  no  principle  into 
which  a  Christian  may  be  led,  ought  to  be  testified 
against. 

Such  a  testimony  is  necessary  as  an  appointed  mean 
to  convince  the  wicked  of  their  sin,  and  warn  them  of 
their  danger.  We  are  called  to  declare  to  them,  in  the 
most  solemn  and  explicit  manner^  that,  because  they 


NARRATIVE.  .9 

hold  fast  their  iniquities,  God  is  angry  with  them  every 
day  J  and  that,  if  they  do  not  flee  for  refuge  to  Jesus, 
the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  his  anger  will  quickly 
break  forth  upon  them.  They  may  refuse  to  hear  ;  but 
if  we  give  them  faithful  warning,  their  blood  will  not 
be  required  at  our  hands. 

A  faithful  testimony  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel  will 
always  have  many  enemies.  Backsliding  professors  of 
Christianity  may  be  much  enraged  against  it.  Those 
who  are  hardened  in  sin,  and  who  rebel  against  the 
light,  will  hate  and  despise  it.  The  testimony  of  the 
witnesses,  during  the  great  apostacy,  tormented  the 
antichristian  generation  who  dwelt  on  the  earth;  and 
the  Dragon  is  still  wroth  with  the  woman,  and  attempt- 
ing to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  who 
keep  the  commandments  of  Grod,  and  have  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  Christ.  The  devil,  though  now  re- 
strained from  deceiving  one  part  of  mankind  and  de- 
stroying another,  to  the  degree  he  once  did,  is  still 
working  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  disobedience, 
and  laying  snares  for  the  people  of  God.  He  is  opposing 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  by  the  profane,  who  scofl"  at 
it ;  by  the  tea^jhers  of  error,  who  labour  to  subvert  it ; 
and  by  the  lukewarm,  who,  neglecting  their  duty,  cease 
to  defend  it,  yea,  even  betray  it  to  the  enemy.  If  the 
testimony  we  maintain  is  hated  and  opposed  by  many, 
this  is  no  more  than  what  we  ought  to  expect.  The 
world  hates  Christ ;  and  the  cause  it  approves  is  not 
his,  nor  the  party  it  commends  on  his  side. 

The  word  of  God  is  our  testimony.  We  must  bear 
witness  to  all  those  truths  which  it  declares,  and  against 
all  those  evils  which  it  condemns.  It  is  most  injurious 
to  accuse  us  as  if  we  neglected  this  word,  because  we 
apply  it  in  a  testimony  suited  to  the  times  and  circum- 
stances of  our  lot.  In  doing  so,  we  follow  the  footsteps 
of  the  flock  of  Christ.     The  great  question  between 


iO  NARRATIVE. 

Israel  and  their  heathen  neighbours  was,  Whether  Jeho- 
vah was  the  creator,  goyernor,  and  judge  of  the  uni- 
verse, or  not  ?  Upon  the  determination  of  it  the  whole 
controversy  depended.  The  God  of  Israel  being  ac- 
knowledged to  be  the  true  God,  the  whole  system  of 
heathen  idolatry  and  superstition  was,  at  oijce,  declared 
impious ;  and  the  fear  and  service  of  the  God  of  Israel 
became  an  acknowledged  duty.  Therefore,  the  leading 
article  of  the  testimony  maintained  by  the  church  of  Is- 
rael was,  That  Jehovah,  their  God,  was  the  only  living 
and  true  God.  Ye  are  my  witnesseSj  saith  the  Lord, 
that  I  am  God.  The  great  question  between  the  apos- 
tles and  the  unbelieving  Jews  was.  Whether  Jesus  was 
the  Christ,  the  promised  Messiah,  or  not  ?  On  the  de- 
termination of  it,  all  other  controversies  between  them, 
about  the  law,  about  the  nature  of  Messiah's  kingdom, 
and  about  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  depended.  There- 
fore, the  leading  article  maintained  by  the  Christians 
against  the  Jews  was.  That  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God, 
the  promised  Redeemer.  Thus  it  is  said  of  Paul,  im- 
mediately after  his  conversion,  that  he  confounded  the 
Jews  who  dioelt  at  Damascus,  proving  that  Jesus, 
whom  their  rulers  had  condemned  and  crucified,  was 
the  very  Christ.  The  great  question  between  the  wit- 
nesses of  Jesus  and  Antichrist  was.  Whether  the  word 
of  God,  or  the  traditions  and  commandments  of  men, 
are  the  rule  of  our  faith  and  practice  ?  The  man  of  sin, 
perceiving  that  he  could  not  stand  if  he  was  tried  by 
the  former,  did,  with  the  fury  of  a  roaring  lion,  at  one 
time,  and  with  the  subtlety  of  a  serpent,  at  another, 
fight  for  the  latter ;  claiming  an  infallibility  to  himself, 
or  to  the  councils  of  his  creatures.  Therefore,  the  tes- 
timony maintained  by  the  Lord's  remnant  was,  in  sub- 
stance, this.  That  his  word  is  our  only  guide,  and  is  to 
be  believed  and  obeyed,  rather  than  any  decrees  or  com- 
mandments of  men. 


NARRATIVE.  11 

At  the  Reformation,  the  testimony  maintained  by  the 
witnesses,  in  former  times  of  darkness,  was  enlarged, 
more  clearly  stated  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  car- 
ried in  it  a  more  full  and  particular  condemnation  of 
the  great  apostacy.  This  appears  in  the  confessions 
of  the  Reformed  churches.  These  contain  a  testimony 
for  the  truth  which  former  adversaries  were  not  able  to 
suppress,  and  which  present  and  future  adversaries 
will  in  vain  fight  against.  JVo  weapon  that  is  formed 
against  Zion  shall  prosper,  and  every  tongue  that  riseth 
against  her  in  judgment  she  shall  condemn. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Of  the  State  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  from  the  Reforma- 
tion, 1560,  to  the  year  1637. 

The  church  of  Scotland,  of  which  we  are  a  branch, 
beside  the  testimony  she  maintained  in  common  with 
the  other  churches  of  the  Reformation,  was  called  to 
testify,  in  a  special  manner,  for  this  important  truth, 
That  the  Lord  Jesus  is  the  only  Head  of  the  church; 
against  the  usurpation  of  civil  powers,  who  claimed  a 
right  to  make  laws  for  it,  and  to  hold  it  in  subjection 
to  their  will.  Soon  after  the  Reformation,  attempts 
were  made  to  bring  that  church  under  the  yoke  of  bond- 
age to  creatures  of  the  magistrate,  under  the  name  of 
bishops.  ,  But  such  attempts  were  boldly  resisted ;  and, 
though  sometimes  carried  very  far,  did,  for  many  years, 
fail  of  success. 

The  clouds,  however,  began  to  gather  over  that 
church,  toward  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  and  the  begin- 
ning of  the  seventeenth  century.  James  YI.,  of  Scot- 
land, succeeding,  about  that  time,  to  the  throne  of 
England,  North  and  South  Britain  were  so  far  united 


12  NARRATIVE. 

as  to  live  in  peace  under  one  supreme  magistrate.  But 
this  event  had  a  malignant  influence  on  the  church  of 
Scotland.  The  kings  of  England  have,  since  the  Ke- 
formation,  claimed  a  right  of  succeeding  to  the  Pope  in 
one  of  his  names  of  blasphemy,  namely  Head  of  the 
church.  This  strange  prerogative  was  very  pleasing 
to  the  prince  already  mentioned;  he  being  very  re- 
markable for  vanity,  weakness,  and  self-conceit.  As 
the  laws  of  England  gave  him  a  supreme  power  over 
the  church  in  that  kingdom,  he  imagined  that  he  had  a 
right  to  claim,  and  to  exercise  the  same  power  over  the 
church  of  Scotland.  The  design  was  to  fashion  the 
last  of  these  churches  according  to  the  pattern  of  the 
first,  whose  external  order  and  appearance  was  very 
like  that  of  Rome,  it  having  been  most  imperfectly  re- 
formed. By  deceit,  and  by  violence,  and  by  a  mixture 
of  both,  an  Episcopacy  was  introduced  into  Scotland. 
Not,  indeed,  all  at  once.  The  power  at  first  given  to 
the  bishops  seemed  very  little ;  but  it  was,  by  degrees, 
increased  till  they  became  terrible.  Those  Popish 
ceremonies  which  the  church  of  England  had  so  zeal- 
ously retained,  were  also  imposed,  according  as  the 
power  of  the  bishops  seemed  able  to  force  submission 
to  them. 

After  the  accession  of  the  next  prince  to  the  throne, 
namely,  Charles  I.,  who  succeeded  his  father  in  1625, 
matters  became  still  worse.  Charles  not  only  pursued 
his  father's  measures  in  church  and  state ;  but  more 
impatient  of  contradiction,  and  more  resolute  in  making 
attempts  against  the  rights  and  privileges  of  his  people, 
he  proceeded  from  violence  to  violence,  till  he  turned 
Britain  into  a  field  of  blood  and  confusion.  Under 
him  the  bishops  rose  to  be  more  formidable  tyrants 
than  ever  before.  If  any  man  ventured  to  testify 
against  their  impositions,  no  sooner  did  the  report 
reach  them,  than  the  instruments  of  their  vengeance 


NARRATIVE.  13' 

were  employed  to  seize  and  punish  him.  In  England, 
where  their  tyranny  was  come  to  its  maturity,  the  pu- 
nishments they  used  were  of  the  most  cruel  and  bar- 
barous kind,  such  as  none  but  men  of  an  infernal  dis- 
position would  choose  to  inflict  on  any  of  their  fellow- 
creatures. 

As  the  order  and  discipline  of  the  church  of  Scotland 
were  subverted  by  the  prelates,  so  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication by  free  grace  was  opposed  by  them,  both  in 
England  and  Scotland.  This  was  a  part  of  that  con- 
formity to  the  church  of  Rome,  which  the  leaders  of 
the  faction  were  studying;  though  their  followers  could 
not  be  quickly  brought  over  from  the  Protestant  faith, 
in  a  point  justly  reckoned  of  so  great  importance,  so 
fully  expressed  in  all  the  confessions  of  the  Reformed 
churches,  and  so  zealously  defended  by  the  divines 
who  had  written  against  the  church  of  Rome.  The 
system  of  doctrine  at  that  time  introduced  into  Britain, 
was  then,  and  is  still  known  by  the  name  of  Arminian- 
ism ;  but  it  is  nothing  materially  different  from  the  doc- 
trine taught  in  the  Popish  church,  concerning  the  im- 
portant articles  of  election,  redemption,  effectual  call- 
ing, and  the  perseverance  of  the  saints.  Both  Papists 
and  Arminians  agree  in  subverting  the  free  grace  of 
Grod,  and  in  ascribing  to  men  that  glory  which  is  due 
to  him  alone.  The  corrupt  doctrine  which  then  began 
to  spread  in  Britain,  has  been,  like  a  plague,  wasting 
the  churches  there  ever  since;  and  this  country  has 
caught  the  infection.  But,  through  the  goodness  of 
God,  a  testimony  has  hitherto  been  maintained  against 
it.  He  has  given  a  banner  to  he  displayed  because  of 
the  truth  ;  and  it  is  our  duty  to  stand  by  it. 

The  prelates,  to  clear  the  way  for  accomplishing 
their  devices  against  the  church,  set  themselves  to  de- 
stroy the  remaining  liberties  of  their  country.  They 
taught  that  unlimited  obedience  was  due  to  their  sove- 
2 


14  NARRATIVE. 

reign ;  that  the  privileges  of  the  subjects  flowed  from 
his  royal  beneficence,  and  might  be  recalled  at  his  plea- 
sure. With  them  there  was  hardly  any  sin  to  be  com- 
pared with  that  of  those  who  opposed  the  unrighteous 
exactions  of  an  arbitrary  court.  Their  great  reason  for 
urging  the  doctrine  of  passive  ©bedience,  by  which  they 
flattered  weak  princes  into  measures  which  ruined 
them,  was,  that  the  sovereign,  being  invested  with  un- 
limited power,  they,  his  creatures,  might  use  it  as  they 
pleased.  They  hoped  that  men,  tamed  to  an  absolute 
subjection  of  their  life  and  property  to  the  prince,  would 
more  easily  be  compelled  to  submit  their  consciences 
to  such  a  spiritual  lordship  as  these  prelates  had 
assumed  to  themselves. 

During  these  days  of  trial,  there  was  much  fainting 
and  yielding  to  temptation  among  the  professors  of  re- 
ligion in  Scotland ;  and  some  not  only  changed  with 
the  times,  but,  as  commonly  happens  in  such  cases, 
were  very  zealous  to  draw  others  along  with  them  into 
apostacy.  Yet  a  considerable  number  continued  faith- 
ful in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  testified,  as  the  Lord 
gave  them  opportunity,  against  the  prevailing  iniquities 
of  those  times.  Of  these,  some  were  banished,  some 
were  imprisoned,  and  some  found  protection  at  home, 
several  men  of  rank  and  influence  exerting  themselves 
to  save  them  from  the  fury  of  the  prelates.  The  power 
of  godliness  and  the  spirit  of  prayer  continued  among 
this  remnant;  on  account  of  which  they  were  hated 
and  scofied  at  by  the  prelatic  faction,  who  were  gene- 
rally careless  and  formal  in  their  religious  services, 
and  many  of  them  profane. 


NARRATIVE.  W 

CHAPTER  m. 

Of  the  state  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  from  1637  to  1650. 

The  greatest  triumph  of  the  enemies  of  Christ  is 
commonly  a  presage  of  their  immediate  ruin.  The  pre- 
lates of  England  and  Scotland,  having  devised  a  service- 
book  for  the  last  of  these  kingdoms,  not  only  as  bad, 
but,  in  several  articles,  worse  than  that  of  England, 
seemed  to  have  almost  accomplished  their  designs ;  un- 
less, as  was  with  reason  suspected,  concerning  some 
of  them,  they  intended  to  reconcile  the  churches  of 
Britain  to  that  of  Rome.  But  they  were  snared  in  the 
work  of  their  hands:  their  new  service-book  proved 
their  ruin.  Though  they  readily  obtained  a  royal  pro- 
clamation, commanding  it  to  be  used  in  all  particular 
congregations  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  under  pain  of 
rebellion ;  yet  so  much  was  it  hated,  that  scarce  ever  did 
a  nation  more  unanimously  agree  in  any  thing  than  the 
Scots  did  in  rejecting  it.  It  awakened  an  abhorrence 
of  all  the  Popish  and  tyrannical  principles  of  the  bishops 
among  all  ranks  of  men.  Many  who  had  formerly  sub- 
mitted to  them,  would  do  so  no  more,  when  they  saw 
to  what  point  they  were  driving.  The  timorous,  cast- 
ing off  their  fears,  appeared  openly  and  resolutely  in 
behalf  of  the  Reformation  cause,  which  they  saw  in  im- 
minent danger.  The  national  covenant  of  Scotland, 
entered  into  in  the  year  1581,  was  renewed  in  a  bond 
suited  to  the  circumstances  of  the  time  of  which  we 
now  speak ;  and  this  was  done  by  all  ranks  in  the  land, 
with  acknowledgments  of  their  manifold  breaches  of 
it,  and  with  professions  of  sorrow  for  their  sin. 

Though  the  king,  instigated  by  the  prelates,  laboured 
to  hinder  every  thing  which  appeared  like  a  reforma- 
tion in  Scotland,  used  fair  speeches  and  threatenings  by 


t6  NARRATIVE. 

turns,  yet  he  prevailed  not.  A  general  assembly  of  the 
ministers  and  elders  having  met  at  Glasgow,  Novem- 
ber, 1638,  condemned  the  whole  course  of  defection, 
which  had  taken  place  during  the  forty  years  preceding, 
censured  the  bishops,  according  to  the  crimes  proved 
against  them,  declared  episcopacy  unlawful,  it  having 
no  authority  from  the  word  of  God,  and  having  been 
found  so  pernicious  to  the  interests  of  religion.  They 
also  restored  Presbyterial  government ;  which  they  de- 
clared to  be  according  to  the  rule  of  God's  word. 

The  king,  who  was  resolved  to  bring  his  subjects  to 
that  unlimited  subjection  to  his  will  in  all  things,  civil 
and  spiritual,  which  he  and  his  creatures  alleged  was 
their  duty,  took  up  arms  against  the  Scots.  But,  find- 
ing them  better  prepared  for  war  than  he  expected,  and 
seeing  the  English  very  backward  to  assist  him  in  de- 
stroying the  liberty  of  their  neighbours,  which  they 
justly  supposed  would  make  way  for  completing  their 
own  slavery,  he  desisted  from  his  purpose.  He  pur- 
sued, however,  the  same  unhappy  measures  in  Eng- 
land, as  he  had  done  in  Scotland,  till  a  civil  war  was 
raised  in  the  former  kingdom,  which  spread,  like  a 
conflagration,  from  one  end  of  the  island  to  the  other, 
and  raged,  till  king,  lords,  and  commons,  falling  each 
in  their  turn,  a  kind  of  military  government  succeeded. 

The  kindness  of  the  Lord  towards  his  church  was 
remarkably  displayed  in  the  midst  of  these  confusions. 
He  caused  the  walls  of  his  Jerusalem  to  be  built,  even 
in  troublous  times.  Those  in  England  who  were 
standing  up  against  a  tyrannical  prince,  in  defence  of 
their  just  rights,  (at  the  head  of  whom  was  the  Parlia- 
ment, the  representatives  of  the  nation,)  entreated  the 
assistance  of  the  Scots,  which  was  granted.  And  the 
friends  of  religion  and  liberty,  both  in  Britain  and  Ire- 
land, entered  into  a  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  the 
design  of  which  was  to  assist  and  encourage  one  an* 


NARRATIVE.  17 

other  in  maintaining  and  promoting  the  reformation,  and 
in  defending  themselves  against  that  tyranny,  which 
threatened  not  only  to  enslave  them,  but  to  take  the 
light  of  the  gospel  from  them.  An  assembly  of  divines 
being  met  at  Westminster,  in  England,  the  church  of 
Scotland  sent  commissioners  to  join  with  them  in  such 
deliberations  and  determinations  as  might  be  found  ne- 
cessary and  conducive  to  the  interests  of  religion ;  par- 
ticularly to  consult  on  what  might  be  most  effectual  for 
uniting  the  churches  of  both  nations  in  one  confession 
of  faith,  form  of  church  government,  and  order  of  wor- 
ship. In  this  Assembly  the  confession  commonly 
called  the  Westminster  Confession,  was  agreed  upon, 
with  the  Catechisms  Larger  and  Shorter,  the  Directory 
for  Worship,  and  Form  of  church  government.  All 
which  were  received  by  the  church  of  Scotland,  and 
served,  from  that  time  forward,  to  declare  to  the  world 
her  faith  and  order.  In  these,  both  were  more  fully 
expressed,  and  the  truth  more  directly  stated  against 
the  errors  of  the  times,  than  in  the  Old  Confession  and 
Books  of  Discipline,  received  by  that  church;  which 
were  composed  at  a  period  when  the  Papists  were  al- 
most the  only  enemies  she  had  to  encounter.  The 
doctrine  taught  in  both  confessions  of  faith  is,  however, 
the  same ;  and  the  order  of  worship  and  form  of  church 
government,  agreed  upon  by  the  Assembly  at  West- 
minster, are  in  nothing  materially  different  from  the 
former  order  and  government  of  the  church  of  Scot- 
land. 

This  reformation  was,  at  this  time,  carried  forward 
with  a  commendable  zeal ;  and  the  blessing  of  God  was 
remarkable  on  those  engaged  in  it ;  many  were  turned 
from  darkness  to  light,  from  thepoiver  of  Satan  to  God; 
the  truth  of  whose  faith  was  manifested  in  a  conversa- 
tion becoming  the  gospel.  Iniquity  was,  in  many  in- 
stances, forced  to  stop  its  mouth,  as  ashamed :  a  number 
2* 


IB  NARRATIVE. 

of  burning  and  shining  lights  were  raised  up  in  the 
church ;  not  a  few  of  whom  yet  speak  to  us  by  their 
writings.  We  are  not,  therefore,  to  be  blamed  for  con- 
sidering that  as  a  remarkable  period  of  the  church, 
affording  a  multitude  of  examples  worthy  of  our  imita- 
tion. 

We  do  not,  however,  approve  of  every  thing  in  the 
proceedings  of  the  church  in  these  times.  Imperfec- 
tions adhere  to  the  best  works  of  men ;  and  there  are 
many  things  which  might  be  excusable,  and  even  ex- 
pedient in  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  church  in 
that  period,  which  would  be  quite  improper  in  a  more 
orderly,  settled  state  of  affairs. — The  enemies  of  our 
reformation,  being  then  almost  universally  enemies  of 
the  civil  liberties  of  their  country ;  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  church  from  persecution,  depending  upon 
the  preservation  of  the  natural  rights  of  mankind,  civil 
and  spiritual  matters  were  so  intermixed  that  it  was 
not  easy  always  to  observe  the  proper  distinction  be- 
tween them.  But  the  nature  of  the  Christian  church 
requires,  that  we  should  be  very  careful  to  observe  this 
distinction ;  and  the  experience  of  past  times  may  serve 
to  set  the  propriety  and  advantage  of  doing  so  before 
us  in  a  clearer  light  than  that  in  which  our  ancestors 
saw  them. 

The  inhabitants  of  these  United  States  have  special 
reason  to  remember  with  gratitude,  what  the  Lord  did 
in  the  period  of  which  we  have  been  speaking.  The 
fruits  of  the  deliverance  then  wrought  for  those  engaged 
in  the  cause  of  reformation  and  liberty,  still  remain,  and 
are  amply  enjoyed  by  the  people  of  this  country.  Had 
that  cause  been  crushed  in  Britain,  so  would  it  have 
been  in  such  of  these  States  as  were  then  settled,  (they 
being  at  that  time  provinces  of  Great  Britain,)  and  the 
growth  of  others,  since  planted,  would  either  have  been 
wholly  prevented,  or  they  would  have  grown  up  in 


NARRATIVE.  19 

slavery  and  superstition.  Instead,  therefore,  of  passing 
over  what  happened  in  Britain  at  that  distant  period,  as 
of  no  importance  to  us,  we  judge  ourselves  bound  to 
observe  it  with  particular  attention,  and  to  thank  the 
Lord  that  he  defeated  the  schemes  of  those  who  were 
preparing  a  yoke  of  oppression  for  that  and  the  follow- 
ing generations.  We  may,  by  attending  to  things  past 
and  present,  see  that  the  Lord  our  God  is  indeed  icon- 
derfid  in  counsel,  and  excellent  in  icorMng. 

Does  any  man  here  sit  under  his  vine  and  under  his 
fig-tree,  none  making  him  afraid  ?  Have  we  liberty  to 
worship  God  according  to  the  order  we  judge  most 
agreeable  to  his  word,  no  man  forbidding  us  ?  And  is 
it  not  owing  to  this,  that  God  delivered  our  fathers  from 
oppression,  and  thus  taught  us  the  value  of  liberty,  and 
the  necessity  of  watching  for  its  defence  ?  The  deadly 
wound,  then  given  to  tyranny  in  Britain,  paved  the 
way  for  the  memorable  and  glorious  revolution  of  168 8, 
and  for  the  freedom  and  independence  of  these  United 
States.  The  testimony  of  Jesus  also,  as  then  stated 
and  maintained  against  Episcopacy  and  Arminianism, 
has  not  been  entirely  deserted  at  any  time  since.  The 
Lord  has  raised  up  one  generation  of  witnesses  for  it 
after  another ;  and  a  review  of  what  the  Lord  has  done 
for  them,  with  their  contendings  and  suflferings  in  his 
cause,  is  useful  both  for  confirming  our  minds  in  the 
truth,  and  for  encouraging  us  to  appear  boldly  on  its 
side.  Walk  about  Zion,  and  go  round  about  her  :  tell 
the  towers  thereof:  mark  i/e  weU  her  bulwarks  :  consider 
her  palaces;  that  ye  may  tell  to  the  generations  follow- 
ing the  goodness  of  God,  in  defending  and  delivering 
his  church. 


20  NARRATIVE;. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  state  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  frmn  the  year  1650  to 
the  Revolution,  1688. 

The  admission  of  the  malignant  party  in  Scotland, 
to  places  of  power  and  trust,  1651,  proved  extremely 
hurtful  to  its  civil  and  spiritual  interests.  These  men, 
though  known  to  be  enemies  to  the  cause  of  the  refor- 
mation, were  admitted  into  the  church  upon  a  profes- 
sion of  repentance,  which  was  not  attended  with  any 
proper  evidence  of  sincerity.  This  gave  great  and  just 
offence :  and  the  ministers,  who  had  protested  against 
certain  resolutions  of  the  general  assembly  leading  to 
the  admission  of  these  men,  suffered,  in  several  in- 
stances, hard  treatment  from  their  brethren. 

The  army  employed  by  the  English  Parliament 
having  before  this  time  assumed  the  supreme  power  to 
themselves,  and  having  tried  the  king,  and  condemned 
him  to  die  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner,  the  Scots 
expressed  a  regard  to  his  son,  Charles  II.,  which  he 
never  deserved ;  calling  him  home  from  exile,  and  re- 
ceiving him  as  their  sovereign.  The  profane  wicked 
prince,  lying  to  Grod,  and  deceiving  men,  engaged,  in 
the  most  solemn  manner,  at  his  coronation,  1651,  to 
maintain  their  religion  and  liberties,  and  even  swore  the 
Covenants  already  mentioned.  But  the  English  army, 
who  then  carried  all  before  them,  soon  overran  Scot- 
land, and  obliged  him  to  seek  refuge  in  foreign  coun- 
tries. People,  however,  became  so  distracted  by  the 
frequent  revolutions  which  were  happening,  and  by  the 
dread  of  a  military  government,  that  the  greater  part  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Britain  and  Ireland  were  glad  to  see 
him  restored  to  the  throne,  1660.  This  change,  how- 
ever, was  from  bad  to  worse :  the  representatives  of 


NARRATIVE.  21 

these  nations,  in  a  foolish  haste,  put  a  rod  into  the  hands 
of  a  tyrant,  and,  sooner  or  later,  almost  every  descrip- 
tion of  men  felt  the  weight  of  it;  but  the  Presbyterians 
of  Scotland  were  the  first  and  greatest  sufferers. 

The  Presbyterial  government  was  quickly  abolished 
in  that  kingdom,  and  Episcopacy  established;  the  na- 
tional Covenant  and  Solemn  League  were  declared  trea- 
sonable oaths,  and  burnt  with  every  mark  of  ignominy. 
Three  hundred  ministers  who  would  not  submit  to  the 
prelates,  were,  without  any  form  of  trial,  cast  out  of 
their  churches.  The  king  was  declared,  by  Act  of 
Parliament,  to  be  "the  only  lawful,  supreme  governor 
of  the  realm,  as  well  in  matters  spiritual  and  ecclesias- 
tical, as  in  things  temporal."  And  whoever  would  not 
acknowledge  this  usurped  authority  over  the  church  of 
Christ,  were  declared  rebels,  and  punished  as  such. 
In  a  word,  the  king  and  his  ministers  of  state  were  bad ; 
but  some  of  his  prelates  were  still  worse,  who,  though 
in  the  character  of  ambassadors  of  the  Prince  of  peace, 
yet,  laying  aside  all  tenderness,  frequently  sat  in  judg- 
ment upon  the  lives  of  those  who  testified  against  their 
usurpations,  and  were  commonly  the  most  forward  to 
condemn  them  to  death. 

During  this  and  the  next  reign,  thousands  were 
spoiled  of  their  goods,  banished  into  foreign  countries, 
or  forced  to  wander  up  and  down  in  the  mountains  and 
deserts,  concealing  themselves  from  the  enemy.  Many 
were  imprisoned  and  tortured;  many  were  executed  as 
criminals;  and  many  were,  without  any  form  of  law, 
murdered  in  their  houses,  or  in  the  fields,  by  savage 
hands,  commissioned  to  destroy  them.  A  few  of  these 
persecuted  people  took  arms  in  their  own  defence,  1666; 
declaring,  at  the  same  time,  their  readiness  to  obey  the 
king  in  all  lawful  commands.  They  were  soon  dis- 
persed; and  such  of  them  as  fell  into  the  enemies' 
hand,  suffered  much  barbarous  treatment,  and  many  of 


22  NARRATIVE. 

them  were  put  to  death.  Towards  the  end  of  this  perse- 
cution, when  the  fury  of  enemies  was  risen  to  a  very  great 
height,  multitudes  of  people  being  put  out  of  the  protec- 
tion of  the  law,  and  hunted  every  where  by  a  brutal  sol- 
diery, as  if  they  had  been  wild  beasts,  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  them  refused  to  own  the  authority  of  tyrants,  whose 
conduct  towards  them  was  a  continued  series  of  injuries, 
from  whom  they  received  no  benefit,  and  to  whom,  there- 
fore, they  owed  no  obedience.  In  this,  their  conduct 
was  soon  justified  by  the  example  of  the  whole  nation. 

The  cause  for  which  these  people  sufi"ered  was  their 
adherence  to  this  truth,  That  the  Lord  Jesus  is  the  only 
head  of  the  church:  believing  this,  they  refused  to 
acknowledge  the  civil  magistrate  as  the  supreme  judge 
in  all  causes  spiritual  as  well  as  civil,  would  not  submit 
to  his  creatures  the  prelates,  or  renounce  the  solemn 
obligations  they  had  come  under  to  abide  by  the  doc- 
trine and  order  of  the  Reformed  church  of  Scotland, 
which  the  prelates  were  seeking  to  destroy. 

If  the  conduct  of  some  of  them  was,  in  certain  in- 
stances, blameable,  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  Their 
enemies  were,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  a  set  of  the 
most  merciless,  profane  men  which  ever,  in  the  holy 
providence  of  Grod,  were  permitted  to  chastise  a  nation. 
Cruel  oppression  often  forces  the  wisest  men  into  mea- 
sures which  appear  desperate.  Besides,  these  people 
acted  commonly  without  any  leader  or  guide,  according 
as  each  of  them  thought  best.  Their  situation,  scattered 
up  and  down  among  adversaries,  who  narrowly  watched 
their  conduct,  hindered  them,  in  many  cases,  from  con- 
sulting one  another  concerning  what  was  most  fit  to  be 
done.  They  were  also,  most  of  them,  country  people, 
acquainted  with  the  Scriptures,  and  instructed  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel;  but  destitute  of  other  learning, 
and  not  much  qualified  to  devise  the  most  unexcep- 
tionable expedients  for  their  relief. 


NARRATIVE.  23 


CHAPTER  V. 

Of  the  state  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  from  the  Revolution, 
till  the  year  1733. 

That  promise  has  often  been  accomplished  to  those 
who  wait  on  the  Lord,  At  the  evening  time  it  shall  he 
light.  When  matters  were  come  to  the  last  extremity 
in  Britain  and  Ireland,  civil  liberty  being  almost  crushed 
to  death  under  the  feet  of  a  tyrant,  and  Popery,  with  all 
its  attendant  horrors  and  abominations,  speedily  ad- 
vancing to  take  possession  of  those  isles,  the  Lord 
strengthened  the  spoiled  against  the  strong.  For  the 
o])pression  of  the  jpoor^  for  the  sighing  of  the  needy ^  he 
arose,  and  set  them  in  safety  from  those  who  puffed  at 
them.  When  the  wisest  of  men  knew  not  to  what  hand 
they  should  turn,  nor  how  it  was  possible  to  save  those 
nations  from  the  evils  which  they  saw  approaching,  the 
Lord  so  ordered  it,  that  the  family  who  had  so  long  pos- 
sessed, and  so  long  abused  the  supreme  power,  was 
driven  into  exile,  and  another  prince  raised  to  the 
throne,  almost  without  the  stroke  of  a  sword. 

The  church  of  Scotland,  broken,  scattered,  and  almost 
destroyed  by  twenty-eight  years  of  persecution,  was 
then  raised  up  out  of  ruins.  Glreat  was  the  mercy  dis- 
played in  this  deliverance.  Well  might  the  nation  say, 
The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  our  land:  well 
might  the  church  say.  The  Lord  hath  remembered  iis 
in  our  low  estate;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever. 
But  there  was,  at  that  time  a  great  failing,  in  not 
rendering  to  the  Lord  according  to  the  benefits  he 
had  bestowed.  Many,  who  had  complied  with  the 
wicked  measures  of  former  times,  and  some  who  had 
been  active  in  promoting  them,  were  admitted  into  the 


^  NARRATIVE. 

Kevolution  church  without  due  evidence,  indeed  without 
any  evidence  given  by  them,  of  their  repentance.  The 
sins  and  backslidings  of  former  times  were  not  particu- 
larly acknowledged  and  lamented;  nor  was  the  reforma- 
tion of  1638,  and  the  testimony  of  those  who  suffered 
for  their  adherence  to  it,  directly  approved  or  vindi- 
cated, from  the  reproach  which  malignant,  wicked  per- 
secutors had  cast  on  both.  Neither  was  that  important 
truth,  for  which  so  many  suffered  even  to  death,  ex- 
pressly asserted,  namely :  That  Jesus  Christ  being  the 
only  head  of  the  church,  no  man  pretending  to  be  the 
head  of  it,  ought  to  be  acknowledged  in  that  character; 
though  the  usurpation  of  the  civil  magistrate,  about  that 
very  time,  taking  upon  him  to  dissolve  and  prorogue 
the  assemblies  of  the  church  at  his  pleasure,  loudly 
called  for  the  most  exj^licit  declaration  of  Christ's  sole 
headship  over  it.  A  desire  to  please  men  in  power, 
and  to  order  the  affairs  of  the  church  to  their  mind, 
proved  the  snare  of  that  day. 

It  ought,  however,  to  be  thankfully  remembered, 
that  there  were,  at  this  time,  and  for  a  considerable 
number  of  years  after,  many  eminent  and  godly  minis- 
ters raised  up  in  the  church  of  Scotland,  who  testified 
more  or  less  fully  against  the  defections  of  the  times, 
according  to  their  light,  and  were  very  successful  in 
gathering  sinners  to  Jesus  Christ,  Ignorance,  pro- 
faneness,  and  contempt  of  the  Lord's  day,  which  had 
greatly  prevailed  under  the  ministry  of  the  curates, 
or  underlings  of  the  bishops,  were,  in  many  places, 
removed  by  the  light  of  the  gospel.  And,  while  there 
was  any  considerable  degree  of  zeal  and  watchfulness 
to  be  found  in  the  judicatories  of  that  church,  its 
enemies  were  restrained  from  doing  the  mischief  they 
intended. 

The  union  of  North  and  South  Britain  into  one  king- 
dom, 1707,  however  proper  and  advantageous  it  might 


NARRATIVE.  25 

be  in  some  respects,  yet,  in  the  way  it  was  concluded, 
proved  hurtful  to  the  church  of  Scotland.  The  mem- 
bers of  her  communion,  when  employed  in  the  service 
of  government,  in  England  or  Ireland,  were  obliged  to 
take  what  is  called  the  sacramental  test,  that  is,  to  take 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  according  to  the 
superstitious  forms  prescribed  in  the  English  liturgy, 
as  a  qualification  for  a  civil  office.  This  horrible  pro- 
fanation of  that  holy  ordinance  was  not  duly  testified 
against,  nor  those,  who  submitted  to  an  imposition  so 
unreasonable  and  so  wicked,  censured.  The  union  also 
introduced  certain  government-oaths  into  Scotland, 
which  were  a  snare  to  many,  as  they,  more  or  less 
directly,  contained  an  acknowledgment  of  the  supre- 
macy, claimed  and  exercised  by  the  kings  of  Britain, 
over  the  church  of  England. 

The  members  of  the  British  Parliament  being  gene- 
rally of  the  communion  of  the  Episcopal  church  of 
England,  and  one  class  of  them  dignitaries  in  it,  it  was 
not  to  be  expected  that  they  would  act  the  part  of 
friends  to  the  Presbyterian  interest.  Accordingly,  in 
the  year  1711,  when  a  party  who  entertained  a  deadly 
hatred  against  the  English  dissenters,  and  against  the 
church  of  Scotland,  prevailed,  the  parliament  griev- 
ously injured  both,  and  took  from  the  people  belonging 
to  the  latter,  the  liberty  of  choosing  their  own  pastors, 
restoring  to  some  men  of  rank,  or  to  the  crown,  cer- 
tain rights,  which  they  claimed  from  the  laws  and  cus- 
toms of  Popish  times,  to  provide  for  vacant  congrega- 
tions such  ministers  as  they  thought  fit. 

It  was  easy  to  see  what  would  follow,  when  the  care 
of  providing  pastors  for  the  church  was  lodged  in  the 
hands  of  men  generally  abandoned  in  their  lives,  and 
many  of  them  avowed  enemies  to  religion.  For  some 
time,  indeed,  this  pretended  right  was  not  much  urged, 
or  was  exercised  with  less  rigour  by  Patrons,  as  these 
3 


26  NARRATIVE. 

usurpers  over  the  house  of  God  were  called.  But  when 
they  found  that  the  church  of  Scotland,  as  represented 
in  her  judicatures,  was  not  only  submissive  to  their 
tyranny,  but  often  ready  to  assist  in  executing  it,  they 
assumed  more  confidence,  and  presented  to  vacant  con- 
gregations, men  of  very  unworthy  characters ;  making 
a  jest  of  the  opposition  of  the  people. 

The  church  might  have  prevented  this  deadly  evil, 
by  positively  refusing  to  admit  any  to  the  ministry  in 
her,  who  accepted  presentations.  As  a  society,  she 
had  a  right  to  make  such  laws  and  rules  as  were  neces- 
sary for  her  preservation,  and  to  judge  of  the  qualifica- 
tions of  her  own  members.  The  fear  of  offending  the 
civil  power  will  not  excuse  any  neglect,  or  perversion 
of  the  institutions  of  Christ,  of  which  this  is  evidently 
one,  that  the  ofl&ce-bearers  in  his  church  are  to  be 
chosen  by  the  members  of  it.  Nor  was  the  danger,  in 
this  case,  great.  It  is  not  likely,  that  the  government 
would  have  forced  that  wicked  law  upon  the  church  of 
Scotland,  had  her  judicatories  faithfully  and  resolutely 
opposed  it.  A  desire  of  pleasing,  rather  than  a  fear 
of  offending  those  in  power,  seems  to  have  drawn  them 
into  a  neglect  of  their  duty. 

The  evils  already  mentioned  did  not  come  alone. 
The  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints  was  as  little  re- 
garded in  these  articles  which  more  immediately  relate 
to  the  salvation  of  sinners,  through  Jesus  Christ,  as 
in  those  which  relate  to  the  order  and  government  of 
the  Church.  Mr.  Simson,  professor  of  divinity  in  the 
University  of  Glasgow,  was  charged,  at  the  bar  of  the 
general  assembly,  with  teaching  the  students,  under 
his  care,  various  Socinian  tenets;  such  as,  "That  there 
is  an  obscure  revelation  made  to  all  men,  of  the  way 
of  salvation :  that  a  sincere  use  of  the  means  God  has 
appointed  cannot  fail  of  rendering  them  acceptable  to 
himj  and  that  a  sincere  use  of  the  means  is  not  above 


NARRATIVE.  2T 

their  natural  abilities."  By  these,  and  many  other 
errors  of  a  similar  nature,  he  introduced  a  scheme  of 
doctrine,  the  design  of  which  was  to  exclude  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  from  having  any  more  to  do  in  the  salva- 
tion of  sinners  than  this :  That  he  taught  the  way  to 
obtain  it,  more  perfectly  than  the  wisest  of  the  Heathens 
could  do.  This  charge  against  Mr.  Simson  was  proved; 
and  the  assembly  declared,  that  some  of  his  opinions 
were  not  necessary  to  be  taught ;  and  that  some  of  his 
expressions  were  used  by  adversaries  in  a  bad  sense, 
and  had  a  tendency  to  exalt  corrupt  nature  to  the  dis- 
paragement of  free  grace ;  and  they  forbade  him  to  pub- 
lish such  opinions,  or  use  such  expressions  any  more. 
But  this  prohibition  signified  nothing.  They  ought 
either  to  have  been  satisfied  of  his  repentance,  or  to 
have  laid  him  aside  from  his  ministry.  Their  negli- 
gence was  the  more  alarming,  on  account  of  the  im- 
portant office  which  Mr.  Simson  filled  in  the  church. 

False  teachers,  when  continued  in  the  church,  com- 
monly proceed  from  evil  to  worse.  This  man,  far 
from  retracting  any  of  the  Socinian  principles  he  had 
formerly  taught,  proceeded  to  deny  the  divinity  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  was  fully  proved  against  him  at 
the  bar  of  the  assembly.  But,  after  all,  that  court  did 
not  lay  him  aside  from  the  office  of  the  ministry,  nor 
cast  him  out  of  the  communion  of  the  church.  They 
only  suspended  him  from  the  exercise  of  the  ministry, 
and  from  his  office  as  a  teacher.  So  lightly  was  the 
man  censured,  who  denied  our  Lord  Jesus  to  be  God 
over  allj  blessed  for  ever :  and  the  carnal  policy  of 
some,  desiring  to  secure  Mr.  Simson  in  the  emolu- 
ments of  his  office,  which  continued  due  by  law  to 
him  while  only  suspended,  prevailed  over  the  regard 
that  was  due  to  the  glory  of  that  name  which  is  above 
every  name. 

As  the  assembly  appeared  friendly  to  error  in  not 


28  NARRATIVE. 

censuring  the  teachers  of  it ;  so  they  did,  in  sundry  in- 
stances, manifest  a  hatred  of  the  truth  by  condemning 
it.  Particularly,  in  the  year  1720,  they  condemned, 
in  very  strong  terms,  several  propositions  extracted 
out  of  a  book  entitled,  the  Marrow  of  Modern  Divi- 
nity. The  book  had  been  published  in  England,  1645, 
had  gone  through  many  editions  there,  and  was,  at  this 
time,  reprinted  in  Scotland.  It  was,  like  other  human 
writings,  not  perfect ;  but,  upon  the  whole,  it  contained 
no  other  doctrine  than  what  was  to  be  found  in  the 
writings  of  those  men  whom  the  Lord  employed,  and 
whose  labours  he  blessed,  in  restoring  the  li^ht  of  the 
gospel  at  the  Reformation.  The  substance  of  it  was 
extracted  out  of  their  works.  The  sum  of  the  pas- 
sages condemned  was,  "  That  there  is  an  assurance  in 
the  nature  of  faith;  that  the  offer  of  salvation  is  to  every 
one  who  hears  it ;  that  the  gospel,  strictly  taken,  con- 
tains no  commands  nor  threatenings,  being  only  glad 
tidings  of  the  grace  of  God  to  fallen  men ;  that  believers 
in  Christ  are  delivered  from  the  law  as  a  covenant  of 
works,  so  as  to  be  no  more  under  either  its  command- 
ing or  condemning  power ;  that  the  fear  of  hell,  as  a 
punishment  to  which  they  may  become  liable,  and  the 
hope  of  heaven,  as  a  reward  in  any  way  due  to  their 
works,  ought  not  to  be  the  motives  of  obedience  to  be- 
lievers.'' 

These,  and  other  such  propositions,  the  assembly 
considered  as  so  pernicious,  that  they  strictly  forbade 
people  to  read  the  book  in  which  they  were  contained. 
This  was  among  the  first  evidences  of  general  apostacy 
from  the  gospel  of  Christ  among  the  ministers  of  the 
church  of  Scotland;  and,  as  commonly  happens  in 
such  cases,  it  was  only  the  beginning  of  evil. 

The  assembly  were  also,  in  many  instances,  guilty 
of  oppressing  the  flock  of  Christ.  They  forbade  the 
sacraments  to  be  administered  to  those  who  would  not 


NARRATIVE. 


m 


submit  to  the  ministry  of  intruders.  This  act  respect- 
ed only  one  presbytery ;  but  it  serves  as  a  specimen  of 
that  ecclesiastical  tyranny  which  they  would  have  ex- 
tended over  the  whole  nation,  if  they  had  not  after- 
wards been  restrained  by  a  fear  of  driving  still  greater 
numbers  of  people  into  the  Secession.  Presbyteries 
were  commanded,  under  pain  of  the  highest  censure  of 
the  church,  to  enrol  as  members,  intruders  to  whom 
they  could  not,  with  a  good  conscience,  give  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship.  Violent  settlements  became  more 
and  more  common.  The  people  were,  in  various  cor- 
ners, as  sheep  having  no  shepherd.  The  intruders 
were  generally  as  far  from  preaching  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  in  their  sermons,  as  they  were  from  acting  by 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  manner  of  their  entrance  into 
the  ministry.  Not  having  come  in  hy  the  door  into 
the  sheepfoldj  but  having  climbed  up  another  way, 
they  were  soon  found  to  behave  themselves  as  hire- 
lings, often  as  thieves  and  robbers.  Either  they  did 
not  care  for  the  Jlock  or  they  smote  and  destroyed  it. 
Men  of  perverse  minds,  Vfho  had  risen  up  in  the  church, 
finding  they  had  nothing  to  fear  from  its  general  as- 
semblies, became  more  bold  and  active  in  teaching  and 
spreading  their  errors.  Thus,  while  the  most  steadfast 
and  zealous  were  oppressed,  the  minds  of  the  careless 
and  unstable  were  poisoned. 

There  was,  however,  a  great  number  of  ministers 
and  others  in  the  land,  too  quick-sighted  not  to  dis- 
cern these  evils,  and  too  deeply  concerned  for  the  pros- 
perity of  the  church  of  Christ,  not  to  testify  against 
them.  Scarce  any  act  of  assembly  injurious  to  the 
truth  had  passed  without  some  testimony  against  it. 
One  representation  and  petition,  signed  by  forty-two 
ministers,  and  another  signed  by  more  than  seventeen 
hundred  people,  were  offered  to  the  general  assembly, 
1732.  But  neither  of  them  could  obtain  so  much  as  a 
3* 


^  NARRATIVE. 

hearing.  The  assembly  determined  to  persist  in  the 
measures  they  had  taken,  treated  with  contempt  all 
who  either  testified  against  their  injurious  proceedings, 
or  refused  submission  to  their  decrees. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Of  the  Rise  of  the  Secession,  and  of  the  Associate  Presbytery. 

When  other  methods  proved  ineffectual,  the  most 
faithful  and  zealous  ministers  studied  to  maintain  as 
full  and  direct  a  testimony,  against  the  evils  already 
mentioned,  as  they  could  in  the  course  of  their  public 
ministry ;  but  the  same  tyranny  which  had  laboured 
so  hard  to  suppress  other  testimonies,  was  not  less  ac- 
tive against  this.  Mr.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  being  ap- 
pointed to  preach  at  the  opening  of  the  synod  of  Perth 
and  Stirling,  chose  for  his  subject  that  text.  The  stone 
which  the  builders  refused,  is  made  the  head  of  the 
corner  J  Psalm  cxviii.  22.  The  sermon  is  extant,  and 
speaks  for  itself.  It  contains  no  railing  accusations ; 
but  was  a  faithful  testimony  against  the  conduct  of  the 
leading  party  in  the  church  of  Scotland,  who,  at  that 
time,  were  proceeding  from  one  unrighteous  measure 
to  another,  with  a  very  high  hand.  This  testimony 
they  could  not  bear.  The  sermon  was  condemned,  and 
the  preacher  declared  worthy  of  censure :  and  because 
he  would  not  retract,  by  submitting  to  a  rebuke  for 
what  he  had  said,  and  to  an  admonition,  warning  him 
to  speak  so  no  more,  he,  and  other  three  brethren,  who 
adhered  to  him  in  protesting  against  the  sentence  of 
the  synod  of  Perth  and  Stirling,  afterward  approved 
by  the  general  assembly,  were  by  order  of  the  last  of 


NARRATIVE.  31 

these  courts,  deposed  from  the  ministry  of  the  gospel 
in  the  church  of  Scotland. 

The  severe  measures  against  these  brethren  were, 
at  that  time,  condemned  by  many  of  the  most  judicious 
ministers  and  others  in  the  communion  of  the  esta- 
blished church.  But  a  party,  whose  faith  was  dubious, 
and  whose  zeal  was  chiefly  directed  against  such  as 
adhered  steadfastly  to  the  doctrine  and  order  of  that 
church,  in  its  best  and  purest  times,  carried  all  before 
them  by  majorities  in  the  ecclesiastical  courts. 

These  four  brethren  had,  with  many  others,  long 
and  earnestly  testified  against  the  defections  of  the 
established  church  of  Scotland,  in  communion  with  it. 
They  were  evidently  unwilling  to  separate  from  it,  but 
now  they  found  themselves  thrust  out :  and  they  found 
that  they  could  not  any  more  have  liberty  to  testify, 
either  in  their  sermons  or  by  protests,  against  such 
acts  and  proceedings  of  the  ecclesiastical  courts  as  they 
judged  sinful.  They  did  not  reckon  that  their  rela- 
tion to  their  congregations  (a  great  majority  of  whom 
steadfastly  adhered  to  them)  was  dissolved  by  the  un- 
just sentence  passed  against  them :  and  therefore  they 
continued  in  their  churches,  preaching  the  word  and 
dispensing  the  sacraments,  as  formerly. 

Soon  after  the  sentence  of  the  commission  of  the 
general  assembly,  in  November,  1733,  loosing  their 
relations  to  their  respective  charges — declaring  them 
no  longer  ministers  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  and  their 
churches  vacant,  they  constituted  themselves  into  a 
Presbytery,  known  by  the  name  of  the  Associate  Pres- 
bytery. They  were  encouraged  to  do  so  by  the  pro- 
mise of  Christ —  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  tO" 
gether  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them  : 
which  has  a  special  respect  to  the  oflBce-bearers  of 
the  church,  meeting  to  consult  and  determine  about 
matters  which  concern  its  welfare.     They  found  such 


6Z  NARRATIVE. 

a  step  necessary  to  preserve  that  order  which  the  Lord 
has  appointed  in  his  house.  They  judged  it  their  duty 
to  maintain  a  judicial  as  well  as  a  doctrinal  testimony 
for  the  truth,  in  opposition  to  the  errors  and  apostacy 
of  the  times.  They  saw  the  flock  of  Christ  oppressed 
and  scattered  by  hirelings,  who  imposed  themselves 
upon  it,  and  by  false  teachers,  who  were  administering 
spiritual  poison  in  place  of  the  bread  of  life ;  and  they 
judged  it  therefore  necessary,  that,  as  a  presbytery, 
they  should  attend  to  the  petitions  of  those  who  de- 
sired their  assistance,  and  regularly  appoint  some  of 
their  number  to  dispense  gospel  ordinances  to  them. 

It  is  true,  they  had,  at  their  ordination,  promised 
subjection  to  the  judicatories  of  the  established  church 
of  Scotland ;  but  it  was  no  less  true,  that  this  promise 
did  not  bind  them  to  a  blind  or  unlimited  submission, 
and  could  not  oblige  them  to  do  what  they  judged  con- 
trary to  the  word  of  God,  and  to  other  parts  of  the 
engagements  they  came  under  at  their  ordination.  It 
obliged  them  to  abide  by  that  church,  in  the  profes- 
sion of  the  truth  she  required  them  to  make,  when  they 
entered  into  the  ministry,  but  not  to  follow  her  in  de- 
parting from  it. 

The  assembly,  1734,  did  somewhat  to  heal  the  breach : 
they  repealed  an  offensive  act  or  two ;  not  because  they 
were  contrary  to  the  word  of  Grod,  but  on  account  of 
some  irregularity  which  had  been  complained  of  in  the 
manner  of  passing  them,  and*  because  they  had  been 
found  hurtful  to  the  church.  They  passed  an  act  in 
behalf  of  what  they  reckoned  due  ministerial  freedom, 
but  did  not  repeal  former  acts  which  laid  ministers 
under  an  undue  restraint.  They  directed  the  Synod  of 
Perth  and  Stirling,  of  which  the  four  deposed  brethren 
had  formerly  been  members,  to  restore  them  to  their 
office,  and  to  their  respective  charges  as  ministers  of 
the  church;    but  they  forbade  the  Synod  to  inquire 


NARRATIVE.  31' 

either  into  the  proceedings  against  these  brethren  or 
the  defences  made  by  them.  The  former  assembly  had 
itself  censured  them,  in  as  much  as  it  ordered  them  to 
retract  their  protest,  and  to  profess  their  sorrow  for 
what  they  had  done;  and  it  had  positively  directed  its 
commission  (namely,  a  committee  of  its  number)  to 
suspend  them  from  the  exercise  of  the  ministry,  unless 
they  should,  in  presence  of  it,  make  the  retraction  and 
profess  the  repentance,  the  sentence  of  the  assembly 
required :  and  if  they  still  continued  to  refuse  doing 
so,  the  commission  was  directed  to  proceed  to  higher 
censures  against  them,  which  was  accordingly  done. 
But  this  assembly  would  have  the  whole  buried.  Sin 
was  to  be  found  somewhere,  but  none  were  willing  to 
acknowledge  it. 

Most  gladly  would  these  four  brethren  have  entered, 
at  the  door  now  opened,  into  the  communion  of  the 
established  church,  if  they  could  have  done  so  with  a 
good  conscience.  For  a  while,  some  of  them  were  in 
doubt  as  to  what  was  their  duty;  but  when  they  duly 
considered  matters,  they  found,  that  almost  every  de- 
fection of  which  they  complained  remained  the  same 
as  before;  that  ministerial  freedom  was  not  properly 
restored  by  the  act  of  assembly,  1734;  while  it  declared 
the  proceedings  of  the  former  assembly  not  any  wise 
contrary  to  the  due  and  regular  exercise  of  this  free- 
dom ;  that  no  proper  testimony  was  given  against  these 
errors,  which  ministers  of  the  church  and  professors  in 
the  universities  were,  from  time  to  time,  teaching ;  and 
that  the  healing  measures  of  the  assembly,  1734, 
seemed  rather  to  proceed  from  political  views,  than 
from  a  regard  to  truth.  For  these  reasons,  they  judged 
it  their  duty,  as  they  had  been  violently  thrust  out,  to 
continue  where  they  were,  till  they  should  see  the  way 
more  clear  :  and  the  conduct  of  subsequent  assemblies 
confirmed  them  in  this  resolution. 


34  NARRATIVE. 

The  former  measures  were,  after  this  time,  pursued 
as  keenly  as  ever.  Congregations  were  oppressed  by 
the  intrusion  of  hirelings,  and  error  passed  without  cen- 
sure. Among  other  instances  of  the  last,  the  following 
is  remarkable :  Mr.  Campbell,  professor  of  ecclesiastical 
history  in  the  University  of  St.  Andrews,  and  minister 
of  the  established  church,  had,  in  his  writings,  mate- 
rially denied  the  Christian  religion ;  affirming,  "  That 
the  laws  of  nature,  in  themselves,  are  a  certain  and 
sufficient  rule  to  direct  rational  minds  to  happiness; 
that  the  sole  and  universal  motive  to  virtuous  actions  is 
self-love,  interest,  or  pleasure ;  that  to  consult  the 
throne  of  grace,  to  lay  matters  before  the  Lord,  and  to 
implore  his  light  and  direction,  are  terms  of  art  much 
used  by  enthusiasts ;''  with  many  other  things  of  the 
same  kind.  Darkness  is  not  more  opposite  to  light, 
than  those  opinions  are  to  the  holy  Scripture,  which 
assures  us,  that  there  is  no  salvation  for  any  hut  in 
Jesus  Christ;  that,  whatsoever  we  do,  we  should  do  all 
to  the  glory  of  God;  and  that,  wi  every  thing,  by  prayer 
and  supplication,  we  should  make  known  our  requests 
to  him.  But  the  general  assembly,  in  1736,  did  not, 
when  Mr.  Campbell's  writings  were  under  their  con- 
sideration, find  him  deserving  the  least  degree  of  cen- 
sure. Thus  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  was 
rather  slighted  and  denied,  than  contended  for,  by  the 
supreme  judicatories  of  that  church:  and,  ever  since, 
these  judicatories  have  been  proceeding  from  one  step 
to  another,  in  a  course  of  apostacy.  Many  things  in- 
jurious to  the  truth  and  cause  of  Christ,  are  to  be  found 
in  their  acts  and  proceedings  these  fifty  years  past ;  and 
there  is  no  appearance  of  their  returning  to  the  Lord, 
from  whom  they  have  deeply  revolted.  They  do  not 
hearken  to  that  command  of  him  who  speaketh  from 
heaven.  Remember  from  whence  ye  are  fallen^  and 
repenty  and  do  the  first  works. 


NARRATIVE.  35 

The  steps  taken  by  the  brethren  who  were  cast  out 
of  the  established  church,  were  not  rash,  or  such  as 
men  usually  take  who  are  moved  by  resentment.  They 
had  eleven  presbyterial  meetings,  chiefly  for  prayer 
and  conference;  and  at  the  twelfth  meeting,  August, 
1735,  they  appointed  a  committee  of  their  number  to 
prepare  a  draught  of  a  judicial  testimony;  and,  after 
much  conference  on  the  subject,  and  many  prayers  for 
direction,  this  work  was  finished,  and  passed  as  a  judi- 
cial deed  at  their  twenty-fourth  presbyterial  meeting, 
December,  1736. 

The  chief  design  of  this  testimony  was  to  express 
the  adherence  of  the  Associate  Presbytery,  and  of  those 
who  joined  with  them,  to  the  testimony  of  those  who 
had,  in  former  times,  contended  and  suffered  for  the 
truth  in  Scotland :  to  condemn  these  sins  and  back- 
slidings  of  past  generations,  in  which  the  present  were 
more  or  less  directly  following  them;  to  assert  and  vin- 
dicate those  truths  which  had  been  slighted  or  denied 
by  the  judicatories  of  the  established  church;  to  en- 
deavour, according  to  the  covenanted  obligations  they 
were  under,  the  preservation  of  the  reformed  religion  in 
Scotland,  in  doctrine,  worship,  discipline,  and  govern- 
ment; to  transmit  the  truth,  in  this  solemn  manner,  to 
posterity:  and,  by  an  open  confession,  to  satisfy  all 
who  should  inquire  as  to  the  principles  which  they 
maintained  and  the  foundation  upon  which  they, 
through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  desired  to  stand. 

Soon  after  this,  four  other  ministers,  leaving  the 
established  church,  were  admitted  members  of  the 
Associate  Presbytery.  In  the  year  1739,  being  all 
called  in  due  form,  these  eight  ministers  appeared  as  a 
constituted  presbytery,  at  the  bar  of  the  general  as- 
sembly; and  in  answer  to  the  libel  or  charge  laid  against 
them,  read  and  presented  an  act  of  their  presbytery,  in 
which  they  declared  themselves  authorized  by  the  word 


86  NARRATIVE. 

of  Grod,  and  bound  in  conscience,  to  decline  the  authority 
claimed  over  them  by  judicatories  of  the  established 
church,  these  being  guilty  of  apostacy  from  the  truth, 
of  tyranny  towards  the  heritage  of  Grod,  of  attempting 
to  crush  those  who  were  studying  faithfulness  in  the 
cause  of  Christ,  of  receiving  into  their  number,  or 
of  retaining  in  it,  many  whose  errors  or  scandalous 
practices  rendered  them  justly  deserving  of  censure, 
and  of  surrendering  the  spiritual  privileges  of  the 
church  of  Christ  to  the  civil  powers,  by  either  approv- 
ing or  silently  submitting  to  their  unjust  claims  of 
authority  over  it. 

The  assembly,  though  as  great  enemies  to  the  cause 
maintained  by  the  Associate  Presbytery  as  ever,  did 
not  appear  quite  so  impatient  of  hearing  them,  or  so 
forward  to  censure  them,  as  in  the  case  of  the  four 
brethren  who  appeared  at  the  bar  of  that  court,  1733. 
The  reason  was  plain :  formerly  they  thought  to  carry 
all  before  them  by  the  mere  force  of  authority;  but 
now,  seeing  a  breach  made,  and  fearing  it  might  become 
very  great,  they  found  it  necessary  to  act  with  some 
appearance  of  moderation.  They  did  not  proceed  to 
censure  at  this  time;  but  they  recommended  it  to  the 
general  assembly,  to  depose  all  or  any  of  these  eight 
ministers  who  should  not,  before  or  at  the  time  of  its 
meeting,  signify  their  repentance  and  submission  to 
the  judicatories  of  the  established  church.  Accord- 
ingly, none  of  them  making  any  such  acknowledg- 
ments, they  were  all  deposed  by  the  assembly,  1740. 

In  the  act  of  the  assembly,  1739,  one  very  grievous 
accusation  was  brought  against  the  ministers  of  the  Se- 
cession ;  but  one  which  never  could  be  proved,  viz.  "  that 
they  had  taken  upon  them  to  speak  in  most  injurious, 
disrespectful,  and  insolent  terms  concerning  the  highest 
civil  authority.'^  There  was  something  cruel,  but  no- 
thing neW;  in  this  attempt  to  stir  up  the  civil  powers 


NARRATIVE.  37 

against  such  as  were  studying  a  faithful  adherence  to 
truth  and  duty.  The  pretence  on  which  this  accusation 
was  founded,  was  taken  from  the  declinature,  or  act  of 
the  Associate  Presbytery,  read  and  presented  to  the 
general  assembly,  in  answer  to  the  libel  of  the  latter. 
A  little  before  this  time  an  act  of  parliament,  commonly 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Porteus  act,  was,  by  the  su- 
preme legislative  authority  of  Britain,  ordered  to  be  read 
from  the  pulpit  on  the  Lord's  day,  once  a  month  for  a 
whole  year,  by  every  minister  of  the  church  of  Scotland, 
under  pain  of  being  deprived  of  his  seat  in  the  judicato- 
ries for  the  first  offence,  and  of  his  salary  for  the  second ; 
and  the  civil  courts  were  directed  to  execute  both  penal- 
ties on  such  as  should  refuse.  Most  part  of  the  minis- 
ters of  the  established  church,  in  one  way  or  other, 
read  that  act;  and  none  of  the  judicatories  testified 
against  this  encroachment  of  the  civil  powers  on  the 
church  of  Christ,  or  against  those  who  submitted  to  it. 
This  the  Associate  Presbytery  mentioned,  in  their  De- 
clinature, as  a  usurpation  of  the  authority  of  Christ  on 
the  part  of  those  in  power,  and  as  a  material  acknow- 
ledgment of  that  usurpation,  on  the  part  of  those  who 
submitted  to  it,  or  who  refused  to  testify  against  it. 

They  farther  condemned  the  reading  of  that  act,  as 
a  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day,  as  rendering  the  of- 
fice of  the  ministry  contemptible,  and  as  an  offence 
to  Christians.  This  was  the  sole  ground  of  the  accu- 
sation. 

No  sooner  was  the  sentence  of  deposition  passed 
against  the  ministers  of  the  Associate  Presbytery,  than 
instant  notice  of  it  was,  by  order  of  the  general  assem- 
bly, sent  to  the  magistrates  of  those  places  where  they 
were  settled.  They  were,  accordingly,  thrust  out  of 
their  churches  by  the  civil  authority,  some  of  them,  the 
next  Lord's  day  :  the  rest,  some  time  afterwards.  The 
congregations,  who  generally  adhered  to  them,  built 
4 


38  NARRATIVE. 

new  places  of  worship  for  them  ;  and  they  did  not  suf- 
fer any  farther  trouble  from  the  supreme  powers  :  only 
some  magistrates  of  inferior  rank  have,  at  various  times 
since,  showed  that  their  willingness  to  persecute  the 
people  belonging  to  the  Secession,  was  greater  than 
their  power.  No  one  who  had  joined  the  Secession  was 
found  in  that  conspiracy  against  the  Protestant  religion, 
and  the  rights  of  mankind,  formed  by  the  adherents  of 
the  exiled  Stuarts,  in  the  year  1745.  They  were, 
moreover,  as  active,  according  to  their  ability,  as  any, 
in  suppressing  it;  and  this  taught  the  government, 
that,  notwithstanding  the  calumnious  insinuations  of 
their  adversaries,  they  were  as  faithful  subjects  as  any 
other  denomination  of  men  in  the  country. 

The  Secession,  though  a  strong  opposition  was  made 
to  it,  increased ;  and  the  dispensation  of  gospel  ordi- 
nances was,  in  many  instances,  attended  with  a  remark- 
able blessing  among  those  of  that  society.  As  numbers, 
in  various  places  of  the  land,  appeared  on  the  side  of 
the  testimony  maintained  by  the  Associate  Presbytery, 
a  supply  of  ministers  was  found  necessary ;  and  the 
Kev.  Mr.  Wilson  of  Perth  was  appointed  to  instruct 
students  in  divinity.  According  to  the  practice  of  the 
reformed  churches,  they  neither  did  then,  nor  have 
since,  admitted  any  to  the  study  of  divinity,  till  they 
had  first  studied  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages,  and 
the  most  useful  branches  of  Philosophy. 

The  doctrine  of  free  grace  through  Jesus  Christ  having 
been  much  injured  by  the  general  assembly  of  the 
established  church,  the  Associate  Presbytery  judged  it 
necessary  to  state  and  vindicate  the  truth  on  that  head, 
more  fully  and  particularly  than  they  had  done  in  the 
judicial  testimony.  This  they  accordingly  did,  in  an  act 
passed  in  the  year  1742,  entitled,  "  An  act  concern- 
ing the  Doctrine  of  Grace,^'  which  was  then,  and  is 
still  to  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the  profession 


NARRATIVE.  39 

made  of  the  faith,  and  to  the  testimony  maintained  for 
the  truth  of  the  gospel,  by  those  of  the  Secession. 

They  proceeded  in  the  year  1743,  to  that  much  op- 
posed duty  of  solemn  public  covenanting.  Consider- 
ing the  engagements  come  under  by  their  ancestors  in 
the  National  Covenant  and  Solemn  League  (of  which 
we  have  formerly  spoken)  as  still  binding  on  them,  they 
entitled  the  bond  into  which  they  entered,  "a  Bond 
for  renewing  these  Covenants."  But  they  followed 
the  example  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  in  former  times 
of  reformation,  by  adapting  the  bond  into  which  they 
entered  to  their  circumstances ;  and  they  prefixed  to  it 
an  acknowledgment  of  those  sins  of  which  they  and  the 
people  among  whom  they  lived  were  guilty,  particu- 
larly the  sin  of  all  ranks  in  acting  contrary  to  the  en- 
gagements they  were  under  to  the  Most  High  Grod.  As 
some  defections  which  took  place  long  before  that  time, 
are  mentioned  in  this  confession,  it  has  been  repre- 
sented as  improper.  The  church,  it  has  been  said,  has 
nothing  to  do  with  such  antiquated  facts.  But  these 
objectors,  if  they  adhere  to  the  word  of  Grod  as  the  rule 
of  faith  and  practice,  should  consider  that  the  righteous 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  visits  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children  to  the  third  and  fourth^  yea,  as  may 
be  seen  in  the  present  case  of  the  Jews,  to  very  distant 
generations  of  those  who  approve  and  imitate  the  sins 
of  their  progenitors ;  and  they  should  also  remember, 
that  it  is  a  distinguishing  character  of  the  people  of 
God,  to  sigh  and  cry  for  all  the  abominations  done  in 
the  land  where  they  live. 

There  will  commonly  be  found  in  a  very  small  rem- 
nant, some  double-minded  men,  unstable  in  all  their 
ways.  Mr.  Nairn,  a  member  of  the  Associate  Presby- 
tery, whose  character  appeared  dubious  to  some,  both 
before  and  after  he  joined  it,  now  acted  such  a  part  as 
it  was  feared  he  would  do.     He  dissented  from  his 


40  NARRATIVE. 

brethren,  because  they  would  not  swear  the  National 
Covenant  and  Solemn  League  in  the  very  words  in 
which  these  were  originally  framed;  and  because  they 
condemned  the  principles  of  a  party  who  disowned  the 
civil  government  of  the  country,  alleging,  that  certain 
religious  qualifications,  not  to  be  found  in  the  rulers  of 
Britain,  were  so  essential  to  the  being  of  magistracy  in 
a  Christian  land,  that  it  was  sinful  to  acknowledge  or 
obey  those  who  were  destitute  of  them,  even  in  such 
things  as  are,  in  themselves,  lawful.  To  this  party 
Mr.  Nairn  joined  himself;  not,  as  appeared,  from  a 
persuasion  that  they  were  in  the  right  way,  but  from 
very  sinister  motives.  By  his  assistance  they  consti- 
tuted themselves  into  what  they  announced  to  the  world 
by  the  name  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery.  This  man, 
however,  left  them  some  years  after,  and  returning  to 
the  established  church,  with  professions  of  sorrow  on 
account  of  his  secession  from  it,  became,  through  his 
instability  and  manifest  hypocrisy,  so  contemptible, 
that  he  was  little  regarded  by  any. 

The  Associate  Presbytery,  in  ansicer  to  Mr.  Nairn's 
reasons  of  dissent,  declsired,  That  though  they  judged 
many  things  very  far  amiss  in  those  acts  of  parliament 
which  concerned  the  church,  and  the  interests  of  reli- 
gion, yet,  as  members  of  civil  society,  they  did,  without 
hesitation,  submit  to  the  government  in  all  its  lawful 
commands,  not  only  for  fear  of  wrath,  hut  for  con- 
science sake.  They  declared,  that  as  the  majority  of 
any  state  or  nation  have  a  right  to  set  up  whatever 
form  of  government  they  judge  best ;  and  as  the  go- 
vernment of  Britain  was  so  established  in  conse- 
quence of  the  revolution,  1688  ;  so  it  was  the  duty  of 
Christians  to  submit  to  it,  or  to  any  other  power  ruling 
by  the  choice  or  consent  of  the  people,  and  affording 
protection  to  them,  in  whatever  place  of  the  world 
their  lot  may  be  ordered.     They  farther  declare,  that 


NARRATIVE.  41 

the  essential  qualifications  and  duties  of  the  magistrate 
were  prescribed  by  the  light  of  nature,  and  that  his 
whole  oflSce  respected  the  good  and  evil  works  of  men 
only  as  these  affect  the  peace  and  order  of  civil  society. 
In  the  year  1742,  and  for  some  time  after,  there  was 
a  strange  motion  among  numbers  of  people  belonging 
to  the  established  church  of  Scotland,  in  the  western 
parts  of  that  country.  This  was  effected  chiefly  by 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  of  his  friends  and 
admirers.  People,  in  hearing  these  speakers,  cried  out, 
fainted,  and  fell  into  convulsions,  and  by-and-by  were 
transported  with  joy  which  seemed  rather  to  arise 
from  some  impressions  on  the  imagination  than  from 
a  well-grounded  confidence  in  the  mercy  of  Grod  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Many  signs  of  delusion  at- 
tended this  work ;  and  deluded,  it  is  certain,  many  of 
the  converts  were.  The  speakers  addressed  themselves 
rather  to  the  imagination  than  to  the  judgment;  and 
some  of  them  taught,  that  ideas  or  representations 
formed  in  the  mind,  of  Christ  as  man,  were  helpful  to 
faith.  Consequently,  the  passions  of  many  were  greatly 
moved,  while  there  was  no  good  reason  to  consider  them 
as  persons  whose  minds  were  enlightened  in  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  and  whose  hearts  were  subdued  to  the 
obedience  of  faith.  The  general  character  of  the  sup- 
posed converts  was  marked  by  a  high  contempt  of  the 
most  steadfast  and  exemplary  Christians,  who  ques- 
tioned the  nature  of  the  work  at  that  time  carrying 
on,  and  by  a  strong  aversion  to  any  proper  testimony 
for  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  As  the  priest,  so  were  the 
people.  Mr.  Whitefield  made  light  of  the  difference 
between  Calvinists  and  Arminians,  Protestants  and  Pa- 
pists. He  cried  ddwn  all  controversies  about  forms  of 
church  government,  and  the  external  manner  of  wor- 
ship, as  pernicious  to  godliness ;  and  he  industriously 

promoted  a  scheme  for  uniting  all  parties,  in  the  way 

4* 


412  NARRA!nVE. 

of  neglecting  such  articles  of  the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints,  as,  through  the  blindness  or  perverseness 
of  men,  have  been  subjects  of  debate.  According  to 
this  scheme,  that  great  cloud  of  witnesses  in  Britain 
and  Ireland,  who  at  the  hazard,  often  at  the  expense, 
of  all  that  was  dear  to  them  in  the  world,  refused  sub- 
mission to  Episcopal  superstition  and  tyranny,  must 
have  contended,  suffered,  and  died  as  fools.  But  we 
are  firmly  persuaded,  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  did  not 
account  them  so.  This  latitudinarian  scheme,  which 
is  still  in  repute,  was  very  expressly  testified  against 
by  the  Associate  Presbytery,  and  in  this  testimony  we 
desire  to  persevere. 


CHAPTER  yn. 

Of  the  Associate  Synod,  and  of  its  Proceedings. 

The  Associate  Presbytery  having  increased  to  a  very 
considerable  number,  divided  themselves  into  several 
presbyteries,  subordinate  to  a  synod,  ever  since  known 
by  the  name  of  the  Associate  Synod.  This  happened 
in  the  year  1744.  It  may  be  here  observed  that  a 
presbytery  and  a  synod  are  materially  the  same  :  both 
are  a  meeting  of  the  presbyters  and  elders  of  the  church : 
both  may,  therefore,  be  called  Presbyteries.  But,  to 
preserve  distinction  in  language,  a  larger  meeting,  in 
which  the  members  of  several  lesser  ones  are  convened, 
is  called  a  Synod. 

An  affair  which  came  before  this  synod,  the  follow- 
ing year,  occasioned  much  trouble,  and  ended  in  a  di- 
vision of  that  body.  The  oath  to  be  sworn  by  such  as 
were  admitted  burghers,  or  freemen  of  towns  in  Scot- 
land, had,  in  some  places,  this  clause  :  "  Here  I  protest 
before  Grod  and  your  lordships,  that  I  profess  and  alloT? 


NARRATIVE.  4^ 

with  my  heart  the  true  religion,  presently  professed 
within  this  realm,  and  authorized  by  the  laws  thereof, 
that  I  shall  abide  thereat,  and  defend  the  same  to  my 
life's  end,  renouncing  the  Roman  religion  called  Pa- 
pistry." It  was  strange,  that  any  belonging  to  the 
Secession  should  ever  have  imagined  the  swearing  of 
such  an  oath  consistent  with  the  profession  which  they 
had  made.  But  some  of  them  having  sworn  it,  and 
others  defending  it  as  consistent  with  their  profession, 
or  being  uncertain  as  to  what  was  duty  in  this  matter, 
the  synod  was  obliged  to  take  it  into  consideration.  And 
having  done  so  at  several  meetings,  they  gave  a  decision 
in  April,  1746,  importing,  "That  the  swearing  of  the 
clause  already  mentioned  was  inconsistent  with  the  tes- 
timony they  maintained,  and  with  the  solemn  engage- 
ments they  had  come  under  in  the  bond  for  renewing 
the  covenants :  they  farther  warned  such  of  their  peo- 
ple as  had  taken  the  oath,  that,  before  they  entered  into 
the  bond,  it  would  be  necessary  for  them  to  signify  their 
satisfaction  with  the  judgment  of  the  synod,  and  ac- 
knowledge the  mistake  which  they  had,  through  inad- 
vertency, fallen  into  by  swearing  that  oath." 

It  is  plain,  that  the  declaration  of  the  synod  was  no 
more  than  truth.  In  the  judicial  testimony,  many 
things  are  considered  as  amiss  or  defective  in  the  reli- 
gion professed  by  the  established  church  of  Scotland, 
and  authorized  by  the  laws  of  that  realm.  Without 
controversy,  this,  and  no  other,  was  the  religion  in- 
tended in  the  oath ;  nor  does  it  alter  matters  in  the 
swearer,  that  it  is  called  the  "  true  religion :"  every 
oath,  if  men  will  act  uprightly,  must  be  taken  in  the 
declared  sense  of  the  imposers  and  administrators  of  it; 
and,  in  this  instance,  their  sense,  as  well  as  the  evident 
sense  of  the  words,  was,  that  the  religion  established 
by  the  laws  of  Scotland  was  the  true  religion,  and  to 
be  acknowledged  as  so  absolutely  true  by  the  swearer, 


44  NARRATIVE. 

that  he  allowed  or  approved  it  with  his  heart,  and  pro- 
mised to  continue  in  it  to  the  end  of  his  life.  The 
oath  was  a  material  approbation  of  all  that  the  civil 
powers  had  done,  both  at  the  revolution  and  after  that 
time,  concerning  the  establishment  of  religion.  It  will 
be  hard  to  prove,  that  those  acts  of  parliament,  by 
which  the  people  were  deprived  of  liberty  to  choose 
their  own  pastors,  and  by  which  ministers  were  com- 
manded, under  pain  of  being  deprived  of  their  seat  in 
the  judicatories,  to  read,  on  the  Lord's-day,  any  paper 
the  legislature  should  enjoin,  did  not  belong  to  the  re- 
ligion mentioned  in  the  oath.  The  way  of  settling  mi- 
nisters, and  the  authority  by  which  they  are  to  be  di- 
rected in  the  exercise  of  their  office,  are  two  very  ma- 
terial points  of  religion  authorized  by  the  laws  of  the 
realm,  only  as  consistent  with  the  acts  of  parliament 
referred  to.  Moreover,  if  one  should  inquire  what  was 
the  religion  professed  by  the  established  church,  and 
sworn  to  in  the  oath,  surely  he  behooved  to  consider 
such  acts  of  the  general  assembly  as  were  designed  to 
express  the  doctrine  of  that  church ;  (among  which  the 
act  condemning  several  important  truths,  extracted  from 
the  book  entitled  the  Marrow  of  Modern  Divinity,  was 
one,)  as  belonging  to  the  profession  made  in  it.  No 
man  of  integrity,  if  he  consider  the  matter  without  pre- 
judice, can  deny,  that  a  person's  swearing  the  oath  in 
question  is  inconsistent  with  his  withdrawing  at  the 
same  time  from  the  communion  of  the  established 
church,  on  account  of  the  sinfulness  of  that  communion. 
The  design  of  the  religious  clause  in  that  oath,  was  to 
exclude  such  as  did  not  approve  the  national  profession 
of  religion  from  certain  civil  privileges.  And  all  who, 
in  swearing  it,  evaded  this  design,  were  guilty  of  some- 
thing so  very  like  equivocation,  or  mental  reservation, 
that  it  will  be  difficult  to  find  any  other  name  for  it. 
Plain,  however,  as  the  propriety  of  the  synod's  de- 


NARRATIVE.  45 

cision  was,  five  ministers  and  two  elders  protested 
against  it.  And  they,  with  some  others  who  took  part 
with  them,  laboured  very  hard  to  have  it  rendered  of 
none  efi'ect,  by  insisting,  at  several  meetings,  that  the 
synod  should  declare  it  no  term  of  communion ;  that  is 
to  say,  that  though  the  synod  had  declared  the  swear- 
ing of  the  religious  clause  in  the  oath  already  mention- 
ed, inconsistent  with  the  profession  made  by  them,  and 
therefore  sinful;  and  though  this  judgment  stood  in 
their  minutes  unreversed,  yet  they  should  admit  the 
swearers  of  it  to  communion,  without  requiring  them 
to  acknowledge  this  sinful  inconsistency  ',  or,  in  other 
words,  the  synod  should,  at  the  same  time,  declare  a 
thing  to  be  sinful  and  not  to  be  sinful.  After  much  con- 
fusion, occasioned  by  the  irregular  conduct  of  these 
protesting  brethren,  and  also  by  the  mismanagement 
of  some,  who,  though  of  a  different  judgment  from  them 
about  the  chief  subject  of  controversy,  yet  were  in- 
snared  into  a  voting  with  them  in  some  previous  ques- 
tions, an  entire  separation  took  place,  April,  1747. 

The  party  of  the  protesting  brethren  insist,  that  they 
obtained,  at  that  time,  a  vote  of  the  synod,  declaring 
that  the  decision  of  April,  1746,  should  not  be  a  term 
of  communion.  But  this  could  not,  with  any  propriety 
or  justice,  be  called  a  vote  of  the  synod.  It  was  car- 
ried by  nine  ministers  and  thirteen  elders  only ;  while 
thirteen  ministers  and  ten  elders,  all  of  an  opposite 
judgment,  could  not  vote  on  the  question,  as  they  were 
standing  under  a  protest  against  entering  on  the  con- 
sideration of  it,  till  the  reasons  of  the  protest,  taken  in 
April,  1746,  with  the  answers,  should  be  read  :  These 
papers  were  so  absolutely  necessary  for  the  information 
of  members,  particularly  of  some  ministers  and  of  many 
elders  who  had  not  been  present  at  former  meetings,  in 
which  the  subject  had  been  reasoned  upon.  The  pro- 
testing brethren,  who  voted  on  this  occasion,  were  very 


46  NARRATIVE. 

improper  judges  in  a  question,  the  import  of  which 
evidently  was,  whether  or  not  their  dissent  should  be 
allowed  to  make  void  the  synod's  decision.  It  is  far- 
ther to  be  considered  that  neither  moderator  nor  clerk 
acted  on  this  occasion.  For  these  reasons,  the  vote 
already  mentioned  was  not  a  vote  of  the  synod ;  it  was 
a  violent  perversion  of  order.  And  the  brethren  on  the 
other  side,  seeing  the  synod  put  into  such  entire  con- 
fusion, as  threatened  the  ruin  of  the  cause  in  which 
they  were  engaged,  took  such  measures  as  they  judged 
most  proper  for  preserving  it.  The  moderator  of  the 
last  meeting,  who  was  one  of  their  number,  and  to 
whom  of  right  it  belonged  to  preside,  when  the  other 
declined  doing  so,  read  a  paper,  in  which  he  declared, 
That  as  the  present  conduct  of  the  prevailing  party  was 
contrary  to  order,  and  subversive  of  the  whole  testi- 
mony maintained  by  them ;  so  the  power  and  authority 
of  the  Associate  Synod  did  properly  belong  to  those 
who  were  opposing  the  irregular  and  pernicious  mea- 
sures carrying  on  :  he,  at  the  same  time,  called  these 
last,  and  such  other  members  as  should  adhere  to  them, 
to  meet  next  day  in  another  place.  Upon  which  he, 
with  twelve  other  ministers,  and  ten  elders,  instantly 
withdrew.  Both  parties  have  ever  since  claimed  the 
title  of  Associate  Synod.  To  whom  that  designation 
properly  belongs,  may  be  learned  from  what  has  been 
already  said ;  and  also  from  this  plain  fact,  that  the 
division  was  at  last  found  to  be,  twelve  ministers  who 
opposed  the  decision  of  April,  1746,  separating  from 
nineteen  who  adhered  to  it.  There  were,  before  this 
breach,  thirty-two  ministers  belonging  to  the  synod. 
One  of  them,  who  lived  in  England,  withdrew  from 
the  Secession.  The  rest  divided  in  the  manner  now 
mentioned. 

This  cannot  be  justly  represented  as  a  trifling  con- 
troversy, unless  it  could  be  proved,  that  swearing  by 


NARRATIVE.  47 

the  name  of  God  is  a  small  matter ;  which,  we  hope, 
none  bearing  the  Christian  name  will  attempt  to  do. 
The  question  arising  from  the  consideration  of  the  oath 
which  occasioned  the  breach,  was,  Whether  the  pro- 
fession of  religion  authorized  by  the  laws,  and  made  by 
the  established  church  of  Scotland,  deserves  to  be,  with- 
out exception,  approved  ?  And  people  must  follow  a 
very  different  course,  according  as  they  determine  it. 
This  has  been  fully  manifested  in  the  conduct  of  these 
two  parties,  since  the  breach ;  the  one  having  continued 
to  profess  a  steadfast  adherence  to  the  testimony  in 
which  they  had  formerly  engaged,  and  having  proceed- 
ed to  solemn  public  covenanting,  from  time  to  time,  as 
the  Lord  gave  them  opportunity  ;  while  the  other  have 
been  frequently  finding  fault  with  that  testimony,  and 
have  laid  aside  the  practice  of  covenanting  altogether. 

But  though  it  was  not  possible  for  the  synod  to  con- 
sider the  swearing  of  contradictory  oaths  as  a  light 
matter ;  yet,  surely  the  excellency  or  usefulness  of  an 
oath,  imposed  by  the  magistrates  of  certain  towns,  was 
not  so  great,  that  any  could  reasonably  judge  them- 
selves bound  to  defend  it  at  the  expense  of  making 
such  a  breach  in  the  church ;  and  if  the  brethren  who 
maintained  the  consistency  of  swearing  that  oath,  with 
the  Secession  testimony,  (a  point  which  their  conduct, 
since,  shows  they  were  not  able  to  maintain,)  had  so 
far  acquiesced  in  the  judgment  of  a  majority  of  the 
synod,  as  not  to  have  insisted  for  an  allowance  to  be 
given  people,  in  the  Secession,  to  swear  it,  the  breach 
would  have  been  prevented. 

The  Associate  Synod  of  Edinburgh  requires,  both 
of  ministers  and  elders,  that  they  signify  their  appro- 
bation of  the  decision  in  April,  1746;  and  also  their 
approbation  of  the  synod,  as  constituted  in  the  way  of 
testifying  against  the  conduct  of  the  party  whose  oppo- 
sition in  this  decision,  and  whose  attempts  to  destroy 


48  NARRATIVE. 

its  force,  produced  such  confusion  in  some  of  the  first 
diets  of  the  meeting,  in  April,  1747.  And,  doubtless, 
this  is  upon  the  matter  to  declare  that  the  conduct  of 
that  party  rendered  them  justly  liable  to  censure  :  but 
an  approbation  of  the  censures  passed  on  this  or  the 
other  man,  is  what  neither  the  Associate  Synod,  nor 
any  well-ordered  church  of  Christ,  ever  made  a  term 
of  communion.  Those  who  are  of  a  different  mind, 
concerning  the  two  points  now  mentioned,  cannot  ho- 
nestly seek  admission  into  that  synod ;  seeing,  accord- 
ing to  them,  its  very  constitution  is  wrong. 

Some  years  after  the  breach,  the  Associate  Synod 
found  themselves  obliged  to  contend  for  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,  against  a  new  attack  made  upon 
it,  by  a  revival  of  some  Arminian  errors,  in  a  new  form. 
It  was  asserted,  That  Christ  was  a  surety  for  all  man- 
kind, and  that  he  died,  not  only  for  the  elect,  but  for 
those  who  perish  in  their  sins.  The  name  of  a  worthy 
minister  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  in  the  last  age, 
was  (whether  justly  or  unjustly,  is  not  quite  certain) 
borrowed  to  support  this  scheme.  A  book  said  to  be 
wi'itten  by  him,  was  then  published  for  the  first  time, 
in  which  the  errors  mentioned,  and  others  connected 
with  them,  were  taught. 

These  opinions  were  the  more  insnaring,  as  they 
were  propagated  by  persons  who  not  only  professed  a 
warm  zeal  against  the  other  articles  of  the  Arminian 
scheme,  but  even  professed  to  difi'er  from  it  in  this  one ; 
alleging  that  Christ  died,  not  as  the  Arminians  teach, 
in  the  same  sense  for  every  one  of  the  human  race. 
The  authors  of  this  new  scheme  maintained,  that  our 
Lord  Jesus  died  in  one  respect  for  those  who  perish, 
and  in  another  for  those  who  are  saved.  But  this  dis- 
tinction was  such,  as  they  could  never  find  made  in 
Scripture;  and  such  as  they  could  never  explain,  so  as 
others  could  well  understand  what  they  intended  by  it. 


NARRATIVE.  49 

The  synod,  seeing  their  people  in  danger  of  being  led 
astray  by  fair,  but  seducing  pretences,  did,  in  a  few  pro- 
positions, state,  explain,  and  defend  the  Scripture  doc- 
trine concerning  the  suretyship  and  death  of  Christ,  as 
it  has  been  received  in  the  Reformation  churches,  de- 
claring, ^^That  he  was  a  surety  for  the  elect  only,  and 
died  for  none  but  those  who  were  given  him  out  of  the 
world,  and  who  shall  infallibly  be  saved  by  his  death ; 
that  the  blessings  purchased  by  him  cannot  be  divided, 
whoever  has  an  interest  in  one  of  them  having  an  in- 
terest in  the  whole ;  that  his  intercession,  so  expressly 
declared  to  be  for  the  elect  only,  is  of  equal  extent  with 
his  death  -,  that  the  death  of  Christ,  being,  in  itself,  of 
infinite  value,  as  set  forth  in  the  gospel,  as  what  every 
one  may  and  ought  to  take  hold  on,  as  a  sufficient 
ransom  for  him ;  and  that  the  ground  of  faith  lies  in 
this  sufficiency  of  the  death  of  Christ,  together  with 
the  gift  of  him,  and  the  offer  of  salvation  through 
him,  made  in  the  gospel  to  sinners  as  such ;  not  in 
any  supposed  revelation  of  Christ  having  died  for  all 
mankind/^  On  this  occasion,  one  minister,  belonging 
to  the  synod,  dissented  from  his  brethren,  strongly  in- 
sisting that  Christ  died,  in  some  sense,  for  all  mankind; 
though  what  that  sense  was,  he  never  could  distinctly 
tell.  He  was  earnestly  entreated  to  forbear  teaching 
such  an  opinion }  but  he  refused.  The  consequence  of 
long  dealing  with  him  was,  that  the  synod  found  no 
other  way  to  preserve  unity  of  doctrine,  but  by  de- 
posing him  from  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  which  they 
accordingly  did.  This  controversy  gave  occasion  to 
the  synod  to  explain  very  fully  some  articles  of  Scrip- 
ture doctrine;  particularly  the  call  of  the  gospel  to 
sinners,  and  the  warrant  given  them  to  believe,  which 
had  been  partly  misrepresented  by  the  friends  of  this 
new  scheme. 

This  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Seces- 

5 


bO  NARRATIVE. 

sion  in  Scotland  we  judge  necessary.  Those  who  are 
disposed  to  seek  farther  information  concerning  these 
matters,  may  find  it  in  '^  A  Defence  of  the  Reformation 
Principles  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  by  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Wilson  of  Perth;"  and  in  ^'A  Display  of  the  Se- 
cession Testimony,  by  the  Reverend  3Ir.  Gih,  of  Edin- 
huryh."  With  respect  to  other  proceedings  of  the 
Associate  Synod,  these  thirty  years  past,  we  do  not 
apprehend  it  necessary  to  insist  upon  them :  because, 
though  they  deserve  to  be  inquired  into,  by  all  who 
are  friends  to  the  cause  in  which  they  are  engaged,  and 
by  all  who  would  judge  impartially  of  them;  yet  these 
matters  do  not  so  properly  belong  to  the  state  of  their 
testimony.  Though  they  have  maintained,  and  still 
do  maintain  it,  yet  they  have  not,  during  that  period, 
had  any  remarkable  occasion  to  enlarge  it,  or  to  state  it 
against  any  new  scheme  of  opposition  to  the  truth.* 

*  The  proceedings  of  the  Associate  Synod,  for  the  space  of 
half  a  century  immediately  succeeding  the  last  of  the  above 
named  events,  might  prove,  to  such  as  have  access  to  examine 
them,  both  interesting  and  instructive.  Yet  as  they  are  not 
marked  with  any  change  either  in  the  state  or  maintenance 
of  the  testimony,  we  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  detail  them. 
During  this  time,  it  pleased  the  Lord  so  to  bless  the  banner 
which  he  had  caused  to  be  displayed,  that  the  number,  both 
of  ministers  and  members,  who  voluntarily  stood  up  for  its 
defence,  was  greatly  increased.  The  Synod,  in  the  year 
1788,  was  sub-divided  into  three  distinct  synods,  in  subordi- 
nation to  one  supreme  judicature,  which  took  the  appellation 
of  the  General  Associate  Synod.  Besides  these  subordinate 
synods  in  Scotland,  there  was  also  one  formed  in  Ireland, 
and  a  Presbytery  in  Nova  Scotia. 

In  the  year  1804,  the  General  Associate  Synod  enacted  as  a 
substitute  for  their  former  judicial  testimony,  a  new  Narra- 
tive and  Testimony;  an  overture  for  which  had  occupied 
their  attention  for  some  years  previous.  About  the  same 
period  they  adopted  a  new  Acknowledgment  of  Sins  and 
Bond. — These  steps  were  deemed  necessary  in  order  to  con- 
dense into  one  concise  and  complete  system  the  substance  of 


NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


51 


Of  the  Associate  Preshytet^y  of  Pennsylvania,  and  of  the 
Reasons  why  they  continue  a  distinct  Body  from  the 
Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  [now  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  church.] 

Some  people,  belonging  to  the  Secession  in  Scot- 
land and  Ireland,  having,  at  various  times,  removed  to 
this  country,  they,  and  others,  who  judged  it  their  duty 

various  acts  of  the  Synod,  in  which  the  state  of  their  testi- 
mony for  truth  was  heretofore  only  to  be  found.  Four 
ministers,  however,  protested  against  the  change,  on  the 
ground  of  a  departure,  which  they  alleged  it  implied,  from 
the  received  doctrine,  on  the  connexion  subsisting  between 
church  and  state,  and  on  the  national  character  and  obliga- 
tion of  our  solemn  covenants.  These  four  brethren  soon  after 
formed  themselves  into  a  Presbytery,  under  the  name  of  the 
Constitutional  Associate  Presbytery.  They  continued  to  ad- 
here to  the  first  Judicial  Act  and  Testimony,  and  other  subor- 
dinate standards  of  the  Associate  church,  formerly  received, 
as  their  terms  of  ministerial  and  Christian  communion. 

The  act  of  the  Associate  Synod,  passed  at  Edinburgh,  1788, 
and  which  has  been  published  with  every  new  edition  of  our 
Testimony,  clearly  defines  the  nature  of  the  connexion  which 
subsisted  for  upwards  of  twenty  years  between  that  Synod  and 
the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  now  the  Associate 
Synod  of  North  America.  This  latter  Synod,  according  to 
the  letter  and  intention  of  the  aforesaid  act,  transmitted  to 
the  General  Associate  Synod,  in  1817,  the  papers  containing 
a  protest  and  appeal  from  an  act  of  the  former,  passed  the 
same  year,  adopting  a  Book  of  Discipline,  the  form  of  which 
had  been  laid  before  them  in  an  overture  from  the  Presbytery 
of  Chartiers.  No  official  notice  of  the  result  of  the  General 
Synod's  deliberation  on  the  case  has  ever  been  received. 
From  private  sources  of  information,  it  has  been  ascertained 
that  the  above  papers  were  received  by  the  General  Synod, 
but  that  they  declined  to  act  upon  them ;  and  to  prevent 


62  NARRATIVE, 

to  join  with  them,  made  application  to  the  Associate 
Synod,  stating  the  reasons  why  they  could  not  join  in 
church  fellowship  with  the  general  body  of  the  Pres- 

being  called  to  decide  upon  similar  cases  in  future,  declared 
themselves  and  the  Associate  Synod  in  America  to  be  only 
sister  churches,  on  a  parity  in  respect  of  judicial  authority, 
and  perfectly  independent  of  each  other.  The  space  of  time 
elapsing  from  that  date  to  the  present,  forms  a  most  event- 
ful period  in  the  history  of  the  Associate  church. 

Various  attempts  to  reunite  the  two  bodies  of  those  called 
Seceders,  and  usually  distinguished  by  the  appellations  of 
Burghers  and  Anti-burghers,  had  been  made  without  the  de- 
sired eflFect.  But  a  coalescence  was  at  length  formed  between 
those  two  bodies  in  Nova  Scotia.  This  event  was  soon  suc- 
ceeded by  a  similar  one  in  Ireland ;  and,  finally,  a  union  was 
consummated  in  Scotland  between  the  General  Associate 
Synod,  called  Anti-burghers,  and  the  Associate  Synod  called 
Burghers,  in  1821.  Unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Son  of  God,  is  set  forth  in  Scripture  as  the  end 
and  perfection  of  that  progress  which  the  church  and  her 
members  is  to  be  continually  making  through  means  of  the 
gospel  and  other  divine  ordinances,  during  the  whole  of  her 
militant  state  upon  earth.  And  a  more  advanced  progress 
towards  this  work  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus, 
than  is  to  be  seen  at  present  in  the  visible  church,  would  cer- 
tainly be  just  cause  of  thanksgiving  to  Him,  by  whose  Spirit 
alone  so  desirable  and  happy  an  effect  can  be  produced.  But 
the  union  just  mentioned,  the  Associate  Synod  of  North  Ame- 
rica regret  to  say,  they  could  not  judge  to  be  of  this  cha- 
racter. And  accordingly  they  did,  after  having  the  matter 
under  consideration  at  several  meetings,  finally  agree,  at 
their  meeting  in  Philadelphia,  1826,  to  condemn  the  above 
union,  and  testify  against  it  as  being  a  departure  from  the 
covenanted  work  of  reformation  which  had  been  hitherto  so 
nobly  defended  and  witnessed  for  by  the  General  Associate 
Synod.  Such  a  decision  on  the  part  of  this  Synod  was  war- 
ranted and  called  for  by  the  nature  of  their  ofl&ce,  as  witnesses 
for  Christ,  summoned  to  attest  the  truth  of  doctrines  and  of 
facts ;  as  watchmen,  set  to  mark  and  proclaim  the  signs  of 
the  times ;  and  as  being  in  their  collective  capacity  a  pillar 
and  ground  of  the  truth,  whose  judicial  acts  must  serve  as  a 


NARRATIVE.  53 

byterians  here,  and  desiring  the  synod  to  take  them 
under  its  inspection.     Their  request  was  granted ;  and 

record  not  only  of  doctrines,  but  also  of  facts,  and  of  their 
character,  whether  they  be  in  strict  accordance  "with  sound 
doctrine  or  in  any  respect  imply  a  deviation  from  it.  This  de- 
cision was  likewise  warranted  and  called  for  by  the  well- 
known  stipulations  of  the  compact,  which,  till  the  moment  of 
that  union,  subsisted  between  those  brethren  of  the  General 
Synod  who  went  into  it,  and  us.  By  this  new  conjunction, 
the  Testimony  enacted  in  1804,  and  which  from  that  date  had 
served  as  a  bond  of  union,  was,  together  with  all  other  tes- 
timonies for  truth,  formerly  emitted  by  the  Associate  church, 
laid  aside  from  being  a  term  of  ministerial  and  Christian 
communion.  And  while  the  design  of  composing  and  enact- 
ing a  new  Testimony  is  avowed,  the  only  temporary  substi- 
tute for  the  former  one  is,  a  brief  declaration  of  principles 
under  the  title  of  A  Basis  of  Union.  In  this  Basis  there  is 
indeed  an  avowal  of  adherence  to  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  and  Catechisms  Larger  and  Shorter.  But 
there  is  also  in  the  same  instrument,  a  mutual  stipulation  of 
both  parties  against  agitating  the  questions  of  dispute  which 
first  occasioned  the  breach,  attempted  to  be  healed  by  this 
Union,  while  there  is  a  total  omission  of  those  articles  of 
truth  and  duty,  by  the  denial  of  which,  or  by  the  neglect  to 
testify  for  the  same,  the  Synod  called  Burgher  had  been  dis- 
tinguished from  those  who  continued  to  contend  earnestly 
for  every  part  of  the  Reformation  attained. 

The  Associate  Synod  in  America,  therefore,  having  con- 
demned this  Union  as  above  stated,  and  agreed  to  testify 
against  it,  proceeded  at  their  meeting  in  Pittsburgh,  1827, 
to  assign  reasons  for  so  doing.  The  substance  of  these  rea- 
sons is  as  follows : 

1.  In  the  Basis  of  that  Union,  the  majority  of  the  General 
Synod  agreed  to  set  aside  their  Testimony  from  being  any 
more  what  they  had,  till  then,  held  it  to  be, — a  term  of  com- 
munion ;  while  it  was  not  denied  to  be  a  testimony  agreeable 
to  the  word  of  God,  and  also  necessary  as  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  what  his  church  had  formerly  attained,  and  as  a 
condemnation  of  backslidings,  and  contrary  errors. 

2.  In  agreeing  to  said  Basis,  the  General  Associate  Synod 
agreed  to  decline  the  acknowledgment,  which,  till  then,  had 
been  made  by  the  whole  Secession  body,  of  the  perpetual 

5* 


54  NARRATIVE. 

two  ministers  were  sent  to  them,  and  directed,  if  they 
saw  cause,  to  constitute  themselves  into  a  presbytery, 

obligation  of  the  National  Covenant  of  Scotland,  and  of  the 
Solemn  League  and  Covenant  for  maintaining  and  carrying 
on  a  work  of  reformation  in  the  three  kingdoms. 

3.  In  agreeing  to  the  third  article  of  the  Basis,  the  General 
Associate  Synod  declined  adopting  the  Westminster  Confes- 
sion of  Faith  and  Catechisms,  as  a  part  of  the  covenanted 
uniformity  of  the  church  of  Christ  in  the  kingdoms  of  Bri- 
tain and  Ireland.  Nor  is  the  Confession  received  according 
to  the  act  of  the  General  Assembly  receiving  it  in  1647, 
which  had  been  the  usual  manner  of  receiving  those  stand- 
ards in  the  Secession  church. 

4.  In  the  Basis  there  is  no  adherence  to  the  Directory  of 
the  Westminster  Assembly  for  Public  Worship  ;  no  express 
adherence  to  the  act  of  the  Associate  Presbytery  respecting 
the  doctrine  of  grace  ;  nor  to  other  acts  of  the  Associate 
Presbytery  and  of  the  Associate  Synod  for  promoting  re- 
formation ;  such  as  acts  condemning  the  Burgess  oath,  the 
Masonic  oath,  &c. 

5.  In  agreeing  to  said  Basis,  they  agreed  to  a  scheme 
which  omits  what  had  been  done  in  the  Secession  Church  to 
guard  against  lax,  or,  what  has  been  called,  free  communion. 
It  is  obvious  that  there  is  nothing  more  in  this  Basis  in  oppo- 
sition to  such  communion,  than  there  is  in  the  profession  of 
the  Relief  church,  and  others,  bearing  the  Presbyterian 
name,  which  allow  and  practise  such  communion. 

6.  In  agreeing  to  said  Basis,  they  neglected  a  necessary 
testimony  against  singing  hymns  of  human  composition  in 
divine  worship. 

7.  In  agreeing  to  said  Basis,  they  agreed  to  an  unwarrant- 
able exercise  of  forbearance ;  as  their  not  censuring  church 
members  for  swearing  the  religious  clause  in  some  burgess 
oaths. 

8.  In  agreeing  to  the  Basis,  they  imposed  an  undue  re- 
straint upon  ministers  respecting  matters  of  their  public 
profession,  as  appears  in  the  preamble  to  the  Basis. 

9.  The  scheme  of  covenanting  adopted  in  the  Basis,  is 
unscriptural  and  contrary  to  the  one  formerly  used  in  the 
General  Associate  Synod.  The  morality  of  the  duty  is,  in- 
deed, acknowledged,  a  Bond  is  adopted  for  the  use  of  those 
who  have  clearness  to  proceed  in  the  duty,  and  an  acknow- 


NARRATIVE.  55 

with  the  assistance  of  ruling  elders ;  which  they  ac- 
cordingly did,  1754.  And  as  farther  applications  were 
made,    the    synod,   from   time  to  time,    sent   others, 


ledgment  of  sins  is  to  be  prepared  by  each  session  as  it  may 
suit  their  convenience,  but  the  seasonableness  of  the  duty  is 
not  asserted  in  the  Basis,  as  it  was  in  the  Testimony.  The 
Bond  proposed,  is  not  pointed  in  the  engagement  to  duties  : 
no  acknowledgment  of  sins  adapted  to  the  state  of  the  whole 
church,  is  provided;  nor  is  there  any  injunction,  nor  even  a 
recommendation,  to  ministers  and  sessions,  to  take  measures 
with  their  congregations  to  effect  a  renewal  of  covenant  en- 
gagements. Upon  the  whole,  the  scheme  of  covenanting, 
adopted,  is  rather  of  the  independent  kind,  than  of  that  used 
by  our  covenanting  Presbyterian  ancestors,  and  hitherto 
used  by  the  Secession  church. 

Against  the  Act  of  the  General  Associate  Synod,  ratifying 
the  above  Union,  a  small  minority  of  ministers  protested,  and 
continued  to  claim  the  name  of  the  Associate  Synod,  and  to 
adhere  to  its  principles  as  exhibited  in  the  Testimony  emitted 
in  1804,  and  other  subordinate  standards.  It  was  pleasing 
to  find  these  protestors  thus  preserved  as  the  Lord's  rem- 
nant, and  still  occupying  the  same  ground  which  they  and  we 
had  been  accustomed  to  occupy  in  fellowship  of  the  truth. 
They  were,  by  an  act  of  this  Synod,  passed  at  the  same 
meeting  of  1827,  at  Pittsburgh,  judicially  recognised  as  con- 
tinuing to  be  one  church  with  us,  and  engaged  in  maintaining 
the  same  testimony  on  behalf  of  a  covenanted  reformation. 

At  the  present  date,  we  have  official  notice  from  that  Synod, 
that  a  Union  has  lately  been  formed  between  them  and  the 
Constitutional  Presbytery  mentioned  above.  A  brief  state- 
ment of  principles,  termed  A  Basis  of  Union,  in  explanation 
of  those  points  on  which  they  had  differed,  together  with  the 
original  Testimony  of  the  Associate  Presbytery,  (&c.,)  com- 
posed the  bond  or  compact  under  which  they  united.  They 
have  assumed  the  name  of  the  Original  Seceders,  and  have 
framed  a  new  Narrative  and  Testimony,  which  they  have 
enacted  in  the  room  of  the  former.  This  new  Testimony, 
with  the  other  principal  proceedings  of  our  brethren  in  rela- 
tion to  this  Union,  lies  at  present  under  consideration  before 
us ;  and  until  a  decision  is  had,  we  judge  it  premature  to 
say  any  thing  on  the  merits  of  the  case. 


56  NARRATIVE. 

for  their  assistance,  to  labour  in  the  work  of  the 
gospel.* 

We  never  did  separate  from  other  Presbyterians 
here ;  for  we  never  were  in  communion  with  them.  If 
some  people  have  left  them  to  join  us,  so  have  some 
left  us  to  join  them.  If  we  receive  such  as  prefer  our 
communion  to  theirs,  so  do  they  such  as  prefer  their 
communion  to  ours.  And  surely  we  have  the  same 
right  to  do  so  as  they  have.  The  circumstance  of  their 
being  many,  and  our  being  few  in  number,  gives  no 
more  authority  to  the  one  than  to  the  other. 

The  adherence  to  the  Westminster  Confession,  re- 
quired of  ministers  belonging  to  the  synod  of  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  is,  with  an  exception  of  what 
not  only  the  synod  itself,  but  any  presbytery  subordi- 
nate to  it,  may  judge  "  not  essential  or  necessary  in 
doctrine,  worship,  and  government." — And  who  knows 
what  this  may  be  ?  Were  the  articles,  deemed  not  es- 
sential or  necessary,  specified,  it  would  then  appear, 
what  was  the  public  confession  made  in  that  church ; 
but  while  they  are  not,  we  cannot  say  what  this  is. 

It  is  not  agreeable  to  the  views  of  that  synod  about 
confessions  of  faith,  to  maintain  a  public  and  joint  tes- 
timony against  the  errors  and  defections  of  the  present 
time.  The  testimony  maintained  by  us  was  judicially 
condemned,  in  some  of  its  most  material  articles,  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Newcastle,  nearly  thirty  years  ago,  who, 
in  a  WARNING  published  by  them,  represented  our 

*  These,  together  with  others  educated  in  this  country,  so 
increased  in  number,  that  they  judged  it  expedient,  in  1801, 
to  erect  themselves  into  a  Synod,  and  assumed  the  title  of 
<'The  Associate  Synod  of  North  America."  It  now  (1839) 
comprises  the  following  Presbyteries ;  namely,  Cambridge, 
Philadelphia,  Carolinas,  Chartiers,  Miami,  Ohio,  Allegheny, 
Muskingum,  Albany,  Stamford,  Shenango,  Illinois,  Indiana, 
Richland,  and  Vermont. 


NARRATIVE.  57 

principles  as  pernicious,  and  our  conduct,  in  leaving  the 
established  church  of  Scotland,  as  schismatical.  We 
do  not  suppose  that  all  the  members  of  the  Synod  of 
New  York  and  Philadelphia,  to  which  that  Presbytery 
now  belongs,  are  of  the  same  mind  with  the  latter,  in 
every  matter  of  difference  between  us  and  them,  but, 
as  that  presbytery's  opposition  to  what  we  judge  truth 
and  duty  was  never  in  any  way  condemned  by  the 
brethren,  it  is  but  reasonable  to  conclude  that  the  ma- 
jority are  much  of  the  same  mind  with  them. 

It  will  not  be  denied,  that  some  members  of  that 
synod  are  of  principles  opposite  to  those  which  we  have 
expressed  in  the  second  part  of  our  testimony,  as  what 
we  believe  to  be  the  truth  taught  in  the  word  of  God, 
maintained  by  the  churches  of  the  Reformation,  in  their 
confessions  of  faith ;  particularly,  by  those  Presbyterian 
churches  of  Britain,  who  have  steadfastly  adhered  to 
the  Westminster  Confession.*     As  to  church  commu- 

*  One  of  themselves  has  publicly  charged  some  of  his  breth- 
ren (and  the  justness  of  the  charge  is  tacitly  acknowledged) 
with  holding,  among  others,  these  tenets : 

"  That  God  is  the  author  of  sin.  That  moral  depravity  is 
predicable  of  nothing  but  of  volitions,  and  that  the  will  is 
the  exclusive  fountain  of  sin  in  the  soul  of  man.  That  the 
apostacy  of  our  first  parents  has  not  affected  the  intellectual 
powers  of  their  posterity,  and  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
inherent  moral  depravity.  That  there  are  no  means  of  grace, 
and  that  there  is  no  real  instrumental  agency  in  the  renova- 
tion and  progressive  sanctification  of  sinners  in  any  case. 
That  all  holiness  consists  in  disinterested  love  to  God,  and  to 
being  in  general ;  and  that  no  person  is  reconciled  to  God, 
who  is  not  willing,  from  this  disinterested  love,  to  be  ever- 
lastingly damned  for  the  divine  glory.  That  after  conver- 
sion, a  man's  moral  exercises  are  all  perfectly  holy  or  per- 
fectly sinful.  That  unrenewed  sinners  have  a  natural  ability 
to  convert  themselves,  and  keep  the  moral  law  perfectly." 
After  stating  the  scriptural  grounds  of  a  sinner's  acceptance 
with  God,  he  subjoins — "Some  of  our  pious  brethren  fervently 
teach  these  highly  reprehensible,  and,  in  their  tendency,  per^ 


58  NARRATIVE. 

nion — the  necessity  of  a  public  joint  confession  of  the 
faith — the  duty  of  public  covenanting — the  singing  of 
the  Psalms  of  David  in  worshipping  assemblies — and 

nicious  doctrines, — That  a  limited  atonement  would  be  an 
impeacliment  of  the  divine  character.  That  the  atonement 
paid  no  debt,  it  involved  the  infliction  of  no  penalty.  That 
Christ  could  not  have  made  an  adequate  atonement,  if  this 
implied  that  he  must  endure  suft'erings  equal  to  the  eternal 
damnation  of  all  those  who  will  be  finally  saved.  That  the 
penalty  of  the  law,  strictly  speaking,  was  not  inflicted  at  all. 
That  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were  not  of  a  legal  nature,  and 
constituted  no  part  of  the  curse  which  was  threatened  against 
the  transgressor.  That  the  idea  of  the  atonement,  which  sup- 
poses that  Christ  literally  suffered  the  penalty  of  the  law  for 
those  who  shall  be  finally  saved,  destroys  all  mercy  in  God 
the  Father — precludes  all  grace  in  the  salvation  of  his  peo- 
ple— brings  no  access  of  happiness  to  the  universe,  and  anni- 
hilates every  particle  of  benevolence  in  the  gospel.  That  the 
merit  and  adequacy  of  Christ's  righteousness  resulted  not 
in  any  measure  from  the  dignity  of  his  person.  That  our 
Saviour's  sufferings  were  no  part  of  his  obedience  to  the 
moral  law.  That  the  atonement  was  an  expedient  for  honour- 
ing God  and  keeping  the  world  in  awe,  while  he  relinquished 
the  penalty  of  his  holy  law  in  favour  of  all  true  penitents," 
&c.  These,  and  similar  tenets,  openly  taught  in  the  Presby- 
terian church,  embrace  the  substance  of  Hopkinsian  errors, 
and  are  so  contrary  to  the  Confession  of  Faith,  and  the  doc- 
trines taught  in  our  Testimony,  that  if  they  did  not  justify 
those  who  sincerely  espouse  the  one  in  declining  chiirch  fel- 
lowship with  those  who  espouse  the  other,  it  would  be  diflS- 
cult  to  find  any  difference  in  faith  and  practice  that  would 
warrant  separate  communion. 

Nearly  related  to  the  above  church,  is  the  Keformed  Dutch 
church.  Many  of  the  same  reasons  which  justify  our  separa- 
tion from  the  Presbyterian  church,  exist  to  warrant  our  se- 
paration from  this  church.  She  long  maintained  a  fair  cha- 
racter for  soundness  in  the  faith,  in  her  adherence  to  the  ex- 
cellent system  of  doctrine  contained  in  the  articles  of  the 
Synod  of  Dort,  but  Hopkinsianism  and  laxity  of  discipline 
have  tarnished  her  glory,  troubled  her  peace,  and  divided 
her  members.  Those  who  have  seceded  from  the  fellowship 
of  the  prevailing  party,  have  constituted  themselves  into  a 


NARRATIVE.  59 

several  other  matters,  expressed  in  the  last  part  of  our 
testimony,  it  is  evident,  that  the  most  part  of  the  mem- 
bers of  that  synod  are  opposite  in  their  views  and  prac- 
tice to  what  we  judge  most  agreeable  to  the  Scripture 
rule,  and  most  conducive  to  the  real  prosperity  of  the 
church. 

The  design  of  what  we  have  now  said,  is  not  to  dis- 
please others,  nor  to  promote  contention ;  but  when  we 
are  blamed  for  maintaining  a  separate  communion  from 
others,  common  justice  requires  that  we  should  be  al- 
lowed to  declare  our  reasons  for  doing  so,  that  any, 
who  will,  may  see  them,  and  judge  whether  or  not  we 
are  deservedly  blamed.  We  desire  to  rejoice  in  what- 
ever we  see  good  and  commendable,  according  to  the 
word  of  God,  in  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia, and  we  are  very  far  from  thinking  that  there 
is  nothing  of  that  kind  to  be  found  in  it :  but  while  mat- 
ters stand  as  they  now  do,  we  cannot,  for  the  sake  of 
a  more  entire  agreement  with  it,  lay  aside  the  testi- 
mony we  maintain  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel ;  because, 
in  so  doing,  we  should  neglect  our  own  duty,  and  harden 
others  in  the  neglect  of  theirs. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Of  the  Union  which  produced  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod. 

In  the  year  1776,  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Penn- 
sylvania was,  by  agreement,  divided  into  two,  viz.  that 
of  Pennsylvania  and  that  of  New  York.  Some  years 
after,  a  scheme  of  union  was  set  on  foot  between  these 

distinct  church ;  profess  adherence  to  the  primitive  faith  and 
discipline  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  and  are  testifying 
against  its  corruptions. 


60  NARRATIVE. 

presbyteries,  and  a  party  who  called  themselves  the 
Reformed  Presbytery,  and  who  were  of  the  same  prin- 
ciples with  those  who  take  that  designation  in  Scot- 
land, of  whom  we  have  already  given  some  account. 
The  plan,  on  which  the  advocates  for  this  union  pro- 
posed to  effect  it,  was  gradually  discovered;  and  was 
found  to  be  a  laying  aside,  or  expressing  in  ambiguous 
terms,  every  thing  about  which  the  parties  mentioned 
could  not  agree.  And  the  Associate  Synod  having  al- 
ways testified  very  plainly  and  earnestly  against  such 
latitudinarian  schemes,  as  injurious  to  the  truth  and 
cause  of  Jesus  Christ,  those  of  them  who  were  then 
members  of  it  could  not  but  know,  that  such  a  union 
as  they  proposed  would  put  an  end  to  their  connexion 
with  it.  But  this  seems  to  have  been  the  very  thing 
they  were  desiring :  displeased  with  their  former  pro- 
fessions and  connexion,  (for  reasons  best  known  to 
themselves,)  they  were  resolved  to  cast  off  the  one  and 
the  other. 

The  union  was  agreed  to  by  the  Associate  Presby- 
tery of  New  York,  1780.  And  at  a  meeting  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  June  12, 1782,  its  friends 
had,  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  moderator,  a  majority 
in  this  latter.  The  members  who  voted  against  the 
union  protested  and  appealed  to  the  Associate  Synod ; 
but  the  other  party,  avowing  that  they,  as  a  presbytery, 
did  not  any  longer  acknowledge  their  connexion  with 
that  synod,  as  belonging  to  it,  therefore  refused  to  ad- 
mit any  protest  in  which  there  was  an  appeal  to  it. 
Upon  this,  the  protestors,  seeing  the  principles  and 
constitution  of  the  presbytery  plainly  deserted  by  their 
brethren,  judged  it  their  duty  to  do  what  they  could  for 
preserving  both,  by  withdrawing,  which  they  accord- 
ingly did ;  having  declared  in  a  protest,  that  the  power 
of  the  Associate  Presbytery  belong  to  those  who  ad- 
hered to  its  principles  and  constitution.    Having  retired 


NARRATIVE.  61 

to  another  place,  and  transacted  what  business  came 
before  them,  they  appointed  the  time  and  place  of  the 
next  meeting,  and  concluded  in  the  usual  manner.  An 
account  of  their  conduct  having  been  laid  before  the 
Associate  Synod,  no  one  member  of  that  court  found 
fault  with  it;  but,  on  the  contrary  it  was  unanimously 
agreed  to,  that  they  ought  to  be  encouraged  and  sup- 
ported. The  circumstance  of  the  majority  of  anj^ 
church-court  deserting  their  profession,  does  not  de- 
stroy the  power  of  the  rest,  or  hinder  them  to  conti- 
nue their  meetings  as  formerly. 

The  brethren  who  opposed  this  union,  readily  ac- 
knowledge, that  harmony  among  Christians  is  much  to 
be  desired :  and  if  any  part  of  their  received  principles 
can  be  proved  to  be  merely  their  opinions,  and  to  have 
no  foundation  in  the  word  of  God,  they  will  not  only 
give  up  these  opinions,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  but  they 
will  even  openly  acknowledge  that  they  were  wrong 
in  ever  making  them  a  subject  of  controversy  in  the 
church.  But  they  have  not  yet  learned,  that  they  ought 
to  lay  aside  a  public  testimony  for  any  truth  or  any 
duty,  taught  in  Scripture,  because  certain  denomina- 
tions of  Christians  will  not  agree  with  them  in  it.  The 
Lord  hath  said.  Love  the  truth  and  the  peace.  To  ob- 
tain the  last,  we  must  hold  fast  and  improve  the  first. 
So  far  as  we  walk  contrary  to  this  rule,  the  peace  we 
obtain  will  be  only  a  confederation  against  the  cause 
of  Christ.  It  should  be  the  steadfast  resolution  of 
every  one  to  do  nothing  against  the  truth,  but  for  it. 

Farther,  this  presbytery  cannot  judge  it  their  duty 
to  lay  aside  the  testimony  they  maintain,  while  the  ne- 
cessity of  it  is  still  greater  than  when  it  was  first  stated, 
in  so  direct  a  manner  against  the  errors  and  backslidings 
of  this  age,  by  their  brethren  in  Scotland.  Apostacy 
has  been,  in  most  instances,  increasing  in  this  land,  and 
among  the  reformed  churches  of  Europe,  since  that  time. 
6 


62  NARRATIVE. 

The  enemy,  having  come  in  as  ajlood,  is  still  attempt- 
ing to  destroy  the  church  by  a  deluge  of  dangerous  and 
wicked  opinions;  and  we  cannot  be  too  careful,  stead- 
fast, and  zealous  in  opposing  him.  The  Lord  Jesus 
is,  from  heaven,  saying  to  us,  That  which  ye  have  al- 
ready, hold  fast  till  I  come  :  and,  with  respect  to  those 
backsliding  churches  whose  communion  we  have  left, 
his  direction  is  plain — Let  them  return  unto  thee;  but 
return  not  thou  unto  them. 

We  do  also  consider  the  engagements  we  came 
under,  at  our  ordination,  as  binding  us  to  continue  in 
the  profession  we  then  made,  unless  we  find  something 
in  it  sinful,  which  we  have  not  yet  done ;  and  to  con- 
tinue in  the  society  of  our  brethren,  the  other  members 
of  the  Associate  Synod  of  Edinburgh,  while  they  abide 
by  it,  as,  through  the  good  hand  of  Grod  upon  them, 
they  still  do.  Though  their  principles  and  conduct  are 
industriously  misrepresented  by  some  here  who  were 
once  of  their  number,  yet  we  are  satisfied  to  remain  in 
connexion  with  them,  as  our  brethren  and  companions 
in  tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of 
Jesus  Christ;  and  we  hope  the  Lord  will  bless  this 
connexion  to  us,  and  to  them,  for  encouraging  each 
other  to  steadfastness  in  his  cause,  and  for  promoting 
the  knowledge  of  the  gospel. 

As  to  the  union,  which  made  such  a  breach  in  this 
presbytery,  it  may  be  farther  observed  : 

First,  That  there  never  was  any  prospect  that  it 
could  be  concluded  in  a  desirable  manner.  The  prin- 
ciples of  the  Reformed  Presbytery,  about  civil  govern- 
ment, unknown  in  the  Christian  church,  till  the  rise  of 
their  society,  used  to  be  a  chief  topic  of  their  public 
discourses ;  and  filled  almost  every  page  of  the  testi- 
mony they  published  to  the  world.  And  because  we 
stated  that  to  be  the  duty  of  Christians,  which  they  de- 
nied, viz.,  to  acknowledge  those  as  lawful  magistrates 


NARRATIVE.  '     63 

who  ruled  by  the  choice  or  consent  of  the  people  of 
any  state  or  nation,  and  to  submit  to  them  in  every 
thing  not  inconsistent  with  our  duty  to  God ;  we  are 
represented  by  them,  not  in  some  private  writings  only, 
but  in  the  public  testimony,  the  joint  deed  of  the  body, 
''as  teachers  of  false  doctrine,  as  treacherous  in  cove- 
nant, as  enemies  to  the  Lord's  work,  as  barefacedly 
belying  the  Scriptures,  as  guilty  of  a  most  dreadful 
and  deceitful  imposition  on  the  generation/'  Men 
who  have  so  grievously  accused  us,  and  have  never  re- 
tracted a  word  of  what  they  said,  could  not  be  sup- 
posed willing  to  join  with  us  in  a  testimony  they  had 
so  severely  reprobated. — Either  we  or  they  (themselves 
being  judges)  must  be  extremely  far  from  the  Lord's 
way:  we,  if  their  charges  against  us  are  just;  they,  if 
they  have  so  accused  us  without  cause.  If  they  judge 
that,  in  these  accusations,  and  in  many  others  of  the 
same  kind,  they  did  no  injury  to  the  cause  and  work 
of  Grod  in  which  we  are  engaged,  we  have  just  reason 
to  refuse  entering  into  church  communion  with  them, 
though  they  should  be  so  inconsistent  with  themselves 
as  to  be  willing  to  enter  into  communion  with  us.  If 
they  have  changed  their  mind,  their  acknowledgment 
of  the  truth  should  be  as  plainly  declared  as  their  op- 
position to  it  was.  Such  a  solemn  public  charge, 
against  any  denomination  of  Christians,  as  is  to  be 
found  standing  against  us  in  their  testimony,  is  no 
trifling  matter,  and  will  not  be  accounted  so  by  the 
Head  of  the  church.  Nothing  less  than  a  plain  decla- 
ration, by  the  Reformed  Presbytery,  that  they  had 
fallen  from  the  opposition  they  had  formerly  made  to 
the  truth  maintained  by  us,  was  sufficient  to  convince 
us  that  they  were  friends,  and  so  agreed  with  us,  that 
we  might  walk  together  in  a  holy  and  profitable  fellow- 
ship. 

Secondly,  the  measures   taken  to  accomplish  this 


64  NARRATIVE. 

union  were  irregular,  and  subversive  of  presbyterial 
order.  The  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania 
having,  in  April,  1781,  imanimoudy  agreed,  as  to  the 
terms  on  which  it  could  be  effected,  sent  these  to  the 
Reformed  Presbytery,  with  an  intimation,  that,  if  they 
were  not  agreed  to,  farther  conferences,  with  a  view  to 
union,  could  answer  no  valuable  purpose. — And  as 
the  Reformed  Presbytery  did  reject  them,  the  matter 
seemed  to  be  at  an  end.  But,  about  six  months  after 
this,  three  ministers,  belonging  to  the  presbytery,  took 
upon  themselves,  at  a  private  meeting,  to  draw  up  other 
terms;  and  one  of  these  brethren,  at  a  conference  with 
the  members  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery,  settled  the 
whole  plan  of  the  union  with  them.  In  consequence 
of  which,  he,  and  others  of  his  party,  entered  into 
church  fellowship  with  them.  Thus  the  business  of 
the  presbytery  was  taken  out  of  their  hands  j  and  the 
work  of  a  party,  who  believed  themselves  able  to  carry 
their  scheme  by  a  majority,  was  laid  before  the  court, 
when  met,  that  it  might  receive  a  formal  approbation. 
When  the  affairs  of  the  church  are  managed  in  this 
manner,  it  is  a  sure  presage  of  confusion  and  ruin. 

Thirdly,  the  first  fruits  of  this  union  were  such  as 
manifested  a  change  in  the  principles  of  those  who  had 
gone  into  it.  The  brethren,  who  left  us,  did,  a  few 
days  after  the  breach  already  mentioned,  order  a  warn- 
ing to  be  read,  from  the  pulpit,  to  the  associate  con- 
gregation of  Oxford,  against  two  members  of  this  pres- 
bytery, for  the  alleged  crime  of  adhering  to  what  had 
been  the  principles  and  constitution  of  the  Associate 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  since  the  first  day  of  its 
erection.  In  that  paper,  they  say,  "they  cannot  but 
look  upon  the  conduct  of  these  brethren  as  highly 
schismatical,  and  tending  to  sow  discord  and  division 
among  Christians;  and  therefore  warn  this  congregation 
against  countenancing  their  ministrations;  ay,  and  until 


NARRATIVE.  65 

they  return  to  their  duty,  and  due  subjection  to  this 
presbytery,  in  the  Lord."  To  give  it  the  more  solem- 
nity, it  was  signed,  not  only  by  the  moderator  and 
clerk,  but  by  the  other  ministers  present. — This  was 
a  deposing  of  these  brethren  from  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel,  only  not  according  to  the  form  of  the  Christian 
process,  observed  in  most  of  the  Reformed  churches. 
As  to  the  returning  to  subjection  to  them,  they  must 
have  had  a  considerable  portion  of  assurance  to  require 
it;  seeing  these  brethren  never  promised  subjection  to 
them,  any  more  than  to  the  Roman  Pontiff.  Do  they 
find  any  such  presbytery  as  theirs  mentioned  in  our 
ordination  engagements?  The  party  who  went  into 
the  union,  did  also,  soon  after,  restore  to  the  ministry, 
a  brother  whom  they,  and  the  other  ministers  of  the 
Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  had,  some  time 
before,  unanimously  deposed  from  that  office,  on  ac- 
count of  various  errors  which  he  had  taught,  and 
persisted  in  defending.  What  acknowledgments  he 
made  to  them  we  know  not.  But  we  know  that  num- 
bers of  people  have  been  deceived  by  his  errors,  having, 
in  ignorance,  received  them  as  new  discoveries  of  truth ; 
whereas,  they  may  all  be  found  in  the  writings  of  its 
adversaries,  of  an  older  date  than  the  present  age.  And 
though  these  people  are  hardened  in  their  opposition 
to  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  by  the  restoration  of  that 
brother  to  his  ministerial  character,  yet  no  proper 
warning  against  his  errors  is  given,  by  those  who 
received  him. 

Surely,  if  our  brethren  had  put  a  due  value  on  the 
truths  injured  by  the  assembly  of  the  national  church 
of  Scotland,  by  the  asserters  of  universal  redemption, 
and  by  others,  both  here  and  in  Britain,  they  would  not 
have  been  so  active  in  burying  a  testimony  for  them. 
A  carelessness  about  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  a 
general  disposition  to  prefer  peace  with  their  enemies 
6* 


&6  NARRATIVE. 

to  an  earnest  contending  for  them,  belongs  to  the  evil 
signs  of  our  time.  There  is  no  end  of  schemes  of  re- 
conciliation, in  the  way  of  setting  aside  subjects  of 
controversy,  till  nothing  of  Christianity  is  left  to  con- 
tend about.  We  find  one  class  attempting  thus  to  re- 
concile diflferences,  in  what  they  call  circumstantials, 
or  lesser  matters;  a  second,  attempting  to  reconcile 
Calvinists  and  Arminians;  a  third,  laying  their  schemes 
so  wide  as  to  comprehend  Papists,  and  every  other  sect 
bearing  the  Christian  name;  while  a  fourth,  not  content 
even  with  this,  have  actually  attempted  to  reconcile 
Christianity  with  Deism,  with  Mahometan  delusion, 
and  with  Jewish  blasphemy,  by  composing  a  form  of 
worship  in  which  men  of  all  these  denominations  may 
agree.  Such  a  form  was  composed,  and,  for  some 
years,  used  in  a  meeting  at  London  not  long  ago.  This 
last  appears  to  be  modern  Catholicism  carried  to  its 
perfection.  When  men  give  up  truth  to  please  its 
adversaries,  farther  concession  will  be  required,  as  long 
as  any  article  of  it  remains.  If  it  is  said,  by  those  who 
make  concessions  in  lesser  matters,  that  they  are  re- 
solved to  hold  fast  the  truths  essential  to  salvation, 
still  the  question  recurs,  What  are  these  truths?  for 
there  is  no  one  article  of  Christianity,  which  has  not 
been  either  denied,  or  the  belief  of  it  deemed  not  essen- 
tial to  salvation,  by  some  who  profess  to  be  Christians. 
Daily  experience  shows  us,  that  men  who,  for  the  sake 
of  unhallowed  peace,  give  up  those  truths,  the  acknow- 
ledgment and  profession  of  which  they  once  reckoned 
necessary,  do  often  proceed  also  to  give  up  those  truths, 
the  acknowledgment  and  profession  of  which  they  once 
reckoned  essential  to  Christianity. 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  add  here  an  observation 
or  two  from  Dr.  Owen: — "Perhaps,"  says  he,  "some 
will  suggest  great  things  of  going  a  middle  way,  in 
divinity,  between  dissenters.    But  what  is  the  issue,  for 


NARRATIVE.  67 

the  most  part,  of  such  proposals  ?  After  they  have,  by 
their  middle  way,  raised  no  less  contention  than  was 
before  between  the  extremes,  (yea,  when  things  before 
were  in  some  good  measure  allayed,)  the  accommo- 
dators  themselves,  through  an  ambitious  desire  to  make 
good  and  defend  their  own  expedients,  are  insensibly 
carried  over  to  the  party  and  extreme  to  which  they 
thought  to  make  a  condescension."  After  giving  some 
instances  of  this,  he  adds,  "  I  can  freely  say,  that  I  know 
not  that  man  in  England,  who  is  willing  to  go  farther 
in  forbearance,  love,  and  communion  with  all  that  fear 
Grod,  and  hold  the  foundation,  than  I  am ;  but  this  is 
to  be  done  upon  other  grounds,  principles,  and  ways, 
and  by  other  means  and  expedients,  than  by  a  condescen- 
sion from  the  exactness  of  the  least  apex  of  gospel  truth, 
or  by  an  accommodation  of  doctrines  by  loose  and  gene- 
ral terms.  Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  vain  pretences : 
hold  fast  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  part  not  with  one 
iota,  and  contend  for  it,  when  called  thereunto."  \_See 
the  Preface  to  Vindiciae  Evangelicae,  page  64.] 


CHAPTER  X. 

Of  the  Constitidion  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod. 

The  articles,  by  an  agreement  in  which  the  union, 
described  in  the  former  chapter,  was  effected,  were  de- 
fective,  and  some  of  them  ambiguous.  But  these  soon 
gave  way  to  what  was  still  more  defective  and  ambigu- 
ous, namely,  the  constitution  framed  by  a  synod  of  these 
united  brethren,  1783.  This  last  is  one  of  the  most 
dubious  professions  of  the  faith  we  remember  to  have 
seen  made  by  any  church.  Almost  every  article  of  it 
is  expressed  in  such  a  manner  as  it  may  be  understood 
in  different  senses;  and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that 


68  NARRATIVE 

it  was  thus  framed  with  that  very  design.  Thus  the 
scheme  of  a  coalescence  with  the  Reformed  Presbytery 
has  led  the  brethren,  who  were  lately  in  communion 
with  us,  to  reject,  as  wrong,  or  at  any  rate  useless,  all 
that  the  society  they  had  left  had  done  for  maintaining 
the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  for  transmitting  it  pure  to 
posterity.  If  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod,  as  these 
brethren  and  their  new  friends  style  themselves,  pro- 
ceed in  the  same  course  of  reformation,  as  they  have 
done,  since  they  took  that  designation  to  themselves, 
who  knows  where  they  will  end  ? 

The  adherence  to  the  Westminster  Confession,  ex- 
pressed in  the  constitution  of  this  new  Synod,  is,  to  us, 
equally  dubious  as  that  expressed  in  the  adopting  act 
of  the  synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  which 
we  have  already  considered.  The  profession  made  by 
the  first  of  those  synods  is  in  no  one  respect  preferable 
to  that  of  the  last.  And  we  cannot  but  consider  those 
as  more  blameable,  who  go  directly  back  from  the 
profession  of  the  truth,  which  they  had  once  made, 
than  others  who  never  did  acknowledge  it  in  such  an 
explicit  and  solemn  manner. 

The  fairest  construction  which  can  be  put  upon  what 
this  new  synod  says,  about  the  obligations  they  are 
under,  "to  avoid  unnecessary  criticisms  on  the  West- 
minster Confession,^'  is  that  the  members  of  that  synod 
will  judge  themselves  bound  to  make  no  other  criticisms 
on  that  confession,  than  such  as  any  of  them  may  judge 
necessary;  and  who  knows  what  these  maybe?  If 
they  are  persuaded  that  the  whole  doctrine  of  that  con- 
fession is  the  doctrine  of  the  word  of  Grod,  and  that 
no  criticisms  upon  it  are  necessary,  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  they  would  either  have  said  so,  or  said 
nothing  at  all  about  criticisms.  We  are  all  under 
the  most  sacred  obligations  to  make  no  unnecessary 
criticisms  on  any  good  book,  which  may  come  in  our 


NARRATIVE.  6^ 

way,  lest,  by  so  doing,  we  injure  the  truth  contained 
in  it.  But,  after  all,  we  may  find  room  for  many  ne- 
cessary criticisms  on  books  of  this  character. 

No  well  ordered  church  of  Christ  ever  denied  its 
members  the  privilege  of  communicating  their  scruples 
or  objections,  about  any  part  of  its  profession,  to  their 
brethren;  or  denied  it  to  be  a  duty  to  endeavour  the 
removing  of  these  objections,  by  calm  dispassionate  rea- 
soning; or  ever  proposed  any  other  way  of  censuring 
members  for  their  offences,  than  by  first  trying  whe- 
ther they  were  guilty.  The  proposals  of  this  new 
synod,  about  these  matters,  contain  nothing  but  what 
Protestants  generally  acknowledge  to  be  just;  but  two 
questions  are  left  undetermined  :  The  first  is,  Whether 
this  synod  will  bear  with  those  who  persist  in  object- 
ing against  the  Westminster  Confession  ?  The  second 
is,  If  so,  how  far  this  forbearance  is  to  extend  ?  They 
speak,  indeed,  about  objections  to  any  article  or  articles 
of  that  confession;  but  we  have  the  charity  for  our 
brethren  to  believe,  that  they  would  not  hesitate  long 
about  casting  out  of  their  society  those  who  would  ob- 
ject to  some  articles  of  it. 

All  that  is  required  of  ministers,  elders  and  deacons, 
belonging  to  that  society,  at  their  ordination,  as  a  pro- 
fession of  the  principles  of  Christianity,  or  as  an  evi- 
dence of  their  soundness  in  the  faith,  is  that  they  ap- 
prove the  principles  exhibited  in  this  constitution,  and 
profess  a  resolution  "  to  adhere  thereto,  in  opposition 
to  all  Deistical,  Popish,  Arian,  Socinian,  Arminian, 
Neonomian,  and  Sectarian  errors,  and  all  other  opi- 
nions which  are  contrary  to  sound  doctrine  and  the 
power  of  godliness."  The  utmost  that  can  be  learned 
from  this  is,  that  so  far  as  their  constitution  and  the  West- 
minster Confession,  with  the  necessary  criticisms  which 
the  members  of  that  synod  may  make  upon  it,  are  op- 
posite to  these  errors,  so  far  they  will  oppose  them : 


70  NARRATIVE. 

but  how  far  this  may  be,  we  know  not.  We  know, 
that  many,  by  the  help  of  what  they  have  thought  a 
few  necessary  criticisms  on  the  Westminster  Confes- 
sion, have  continued  to  profess  an  adherence  to  it,  while 
they  have  gone  far  into  errors  nearly  allied  to  some 
of  these  mentioned,  if  not  the  very  same  with  them. 
Farther,  this  new  synod  has  nowhere,  in  the  declara- 
tion of  its  principles  to  the  world,  told  us  (though  el- 
ders and  deacons  may,  without  any  reflection  on  their 
qualifications,  be  supposed  to  need  information)  what 
these  errors  are,  or  what  opinions  deserve  to  be  ac- 
counted Deistical,  Popish,  Arian,  &c.  Concerning 
this,  the  professed  opposers  of  Deism,  Popery,  Arian- 
ism,  and  of  the  other  systems  of  error  mentioned,  are 
far  from  being  agreed.  Many  who  profess  an  opposi- 
tion to  Popery  have  gone,  less  or  more  directly,  into 
the  Popish  doctrine  concerning  justification  and  faith. 
Others,  who  profess  to  oppose  Arminianism,  do,  how- 
ever, maintain  this  Arminian  principle,  "That  Christ 
died  not  for  the  elect  only,  but  for  all  mankind.^'  At 
a  time  when  truth  and  error  are  so  much  confounded,  it 
is  necessary  to  declare,  not  merely  the  designations  of 
those  heretics,  against  whose  opinions  we  testify,  but 
the  opinions  themselves;  that  people,  being  warned, 
may  watch  against  them,  in  whatever  form,  or  by  what- 
ever denomination  of  men,  they  may  be  published. 

It  is  a  sorry  compliment  this  new  synod  pays  to  our 
ancestors,  by  saying,  "That  the  covenants  they  en- 
tered into  were  well-intended  engagements."  This 
may  be  readily  allowed  by  those  who  hold  them  to 
have  been  unlawful  engagements.  This  good  inten- 
tion is  also  said  to  be  the  support  of  "civil  and  reli- 
gious liberty."  And  is  it  so  indeed,  that  our  ancestors 
had  no  farther  view  in  these  engagements,  than  what 
they  might  have  had,  though  Pagans?  for  these  last  have 
a  right  to  civil  and  religious  liberty,  and  may  be  allowed 


NARRATIVE.  71 

to  join  themselves  in  a  covenant  to  preserve  both. 
Were  not  the  preservation,  the  increase,  and  the  pro- 
moting of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  the  confirming, 
encouraging,  and  assisting  of  one  another  in  the  good 
ways  of  the  Lord,  "  that  they,  and  their  posterity  after 
them,  might,  as  brethren,  live  in  faith  and  love,  and 
that  the  Lord  might  delight  to  dwell  in  the  midst  of 
them,"  the  declared  ends;  and  were  they  not  the  chief 
ends  our  ancestors  had  in  view,  when  they  entered  into 
these  engagements?  Most  certainly,  unless  we  were 
to  consider  them  as  agreeing,  in  the  most  awful  man- 
ner a  people  ever  did,  to  lie  to  God,  and  to  deceive  the 
world ! 

It  is  said  by  this  new  synod,  ^'That  it  is  their  real 
intention  to  carry  with  them  all  the  judicial  testimonies 
against  defection  from  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints,  which  have  been  emitted,  in  the  present  age,  by 
their  brethren  in  Britain,  as  far  as  these  testimonies 
serve  to  display  the  truth."  We  may  suppose,  that 
the  judicial  testimony  of  the  Associate  Presbytery,  now 
the  Associate  Synod,  of  Edinburgh,  is  one  of  those 
here  meant,  but  how  far  it  serves  to  display  such 
truths  is  not  said.  That  it  displays  truth  so  far  cannot 
well  be  denied  by  any  who  profess  to  be  Christians. 
Our  brethren,  however,  may  adhere  to  the  decrees  of  the 
council  of  Trent,  in  the  same  form  of  words.  Doubt- 
less, our  fathers,  when  they  left  the  church  of  Rome, 
carried  with  them  the  testimony  maintained  by  that 
antichristian  church,  so  far  as  it  served  to  display  the 
truth ;  and  it  did  serve  to  display  it,  so  far  as  it  main- 
tained the  divine  original  of  the  Scriptures,  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity,  and  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
against  Pagans,  Jews,  Mahometans,  and  Arians. 

This  new  synod  tells  us,  "That  they  will  avail  them- 
selves of  every  call  to  bear  a  pointed  testimony  against 
the  errors  and  delusions  which  prevail  in  this  country." 


72  NARRATIVE. 

It  is  here  acknowledged,  that  errors  and  delusions  pre- 
vail in  this  country ;  but  the  pointed  testimony,  pro- 
mised by  our  brethren,  is  not  yet  to  be  seen.  Do  they 
suppose  that  no  such  call  as  that,  of  which  they 
speak,  is  yet  given  them  ?  If  so,  they  may  wait  for 
it  long.  But  as  their  words  admit  of  different  senses, 
it  may  be,  they  intend  no  more  than  this,  that  they 
will  in  their  sermons  testify  against  prevailing  evils. 
This  will  be  so  much,  if  they  study  to  do  it  faithfully ; 
but  no  more  than  what  some  in  the  most  degenerate 
of  the  Protestant  churches  are  doing.  It  will,  how- 
ever, be  no  testimony  for  the  cause  of  Jesus  Christ, 
by  them  as  a  church.  And  while  they  cannot  agree 
in  a  joint  testimony,  neither  will  they  agree  in  their 
particular  testimonies :  one  will  destroy  what  another 
builds.  If  they  are  of  one  mind  about  the  matter  that 
should  be  the  subject  of  their  testimony,  why  do  they 
not  openly,  and  with  one  voice,  assert  those  truths 
which  are  denied  or  perverted  in  this  adulterous  and 
sinful  generation  ? 

This  new  synod  profess,  that  they  are  "bound  to 
honour  the  religious  denominations  in  Britain,  to  which 
they  formerly  belonged,  on  account  of  their  zeal  for 
the  purity  of  the  gospel,  and  of  their  laudable  endea- 
vours to  promote  it,  not  only  in  Britain  and  Ireland, 
but  also  in  America."  If  the  missions,  sent  to  this 
country  from  the  Associate  Synod,  are  here  intended, 
they  are  in  this,  as  in  other  things,  inconsistent  with 
themselves.  We  desire  they  would  show  us,  whether, 
according  to  the  profession  they  now  make,  there  ever 
was  any  reason  for  sending  missions  to  a  place  where 
there  was  a  church  whose  profession,  whatever  we  may, 
on  our  principles,  judge  defective  in  it,  they  cannot,  on 
theirs,  deny  to  be  as  good  as  their  own  ?  If  there  be 
any  difference  between  them  and  other  Presbyterians 
here,  it  would  be  reasonable,  first,  to  tell  us  what  it  is; 


•  NARRATIVE.  73 

and  next,  to  show  us,  that  it  is  a  just  cause  of  main- 
taining a  distinct  communion. 

As  to  the  missions  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery, 
though  we  wish  well  to  the  people  of  that  denomina- 
tion, and  esteem  whatever  we  see  good  in  them ;  yet 
we  much  doubt  whether  their  attempts  to  increase  their 
party  ought  to  be  acknowledged  as  flowing  from  zeal 
for  the  purity  of  the  gospel,  and  as  laudable  endea- 
vours to  promote  it.  '  Had  they  succeeded  to  the  de- 
clared extent  of  their  wishes,  it  would  have  been  no 
desirable  event  to  us  and  others,  whom  they  accounted 
enemies  to  the  Lord's  work.  If  any  one  desire  to 
know  how  they  would  instruct  their  duly  qualified  ma- 
gistrates to  deal  with  such,  he  may  consult  their  Testi- 
mony. 

What  the  Associate  Synod  of  Edinburgh  have  done, 
to  maintain  a  testimony  against  the  encroachments  of 
the  civil  powers  upon  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  to  pre- 
vent their  people  from  swearing  contradictory  oaths ; 
and  to  secure  them  from  being  led  astray  from  their 
duty,  as  men  and  as  Christians,  by  very  unjust  and 
dangerous  notions  about  civil  government,  is  repre- 
sented, by  this  new  synod,  as  nothing  more  than  local 
controversies  J  or  unnecessari/  disputes.  These,  they  say, 
they  will  not  suffer  to  be  introduced  into  their  church. 
If  they  have  a  power  to  hinder  these,  or  other  contro- 
versies from  entering  into  it,  it  is  more  than  other 
churches  have. — But  truth  and  error,  right  and  wrong, 
are  the  same  every  where.  Does  this  new  synod  now 
approve  such  professions  of  religion  as  that  established 
by  the  civil  powers  in  Scotland,  against  which  most  of 
them  once  testified,  as,  in  various  instances,  amiss  or 
defective,  yea  or  not  ?  And  what  does  it  say  about  the 
duty  of  Christians  towards  the  civil  powers  under  whom 
Providence  may  order  their  lot  ?  Though  this  ques- 
tion may,  in  the  judgment  of  some,  seem  a  very  use- 
7 


74  NARRATIVE.  * 

less  one,  fit  only  to  produce  unnecessary  disputes ;  yet 
we  know  the  apostles  Paul  and  Peter  were  of  another 
mind ;  they  took  it  under  consideration,  and  desired 
all  Christians  to  do  so. 

According  to  the  fifth  article  of  this  new  synod's  con- 
stitution, a  minister  is  not  to  be  excommunicated,  and 
may  not  even  be  deposed  from  his  office,  for  any  vio- 
lations of  the  law  of  Grod,  unless  they  are  what  the 
synod  judge  notorious ;  nor  for  any  errors,  unless  they 
are  such  as  the  synod  judge  do  unhinge  the  Christian 
profession.  Seeing  they  evidently  make  a  distinction, 
they  ought  to  give  us  some  directions  how  to  apply  it, 
by  informing  us  what  is,  and  what  is  not,  to  be  called 
a  notorious  violation  of  the  law  of  God ;  and  likewise 
what  errors  do,  and  what  do  not,  unhinge  the  Chris- 
tian profession;  for  about  these  things  the  professors 
of  Christianity  difier  exceedingly.  After  all,  what 
good  end  does  an  assembly  of  ministers,  professing  to 
meet  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  act  by  au- 
thority from  him,  propose,  by  telling  men,  naturally 
prone  to  vice  and  error,  that  they  will  not  apply  the 
highest  censures  he  has  appointed  in  his  church,  against 
those  who  may  be  guilty  only  of  lesser  vices  and  lesser 
errors  ? 

They  have,  indeed,  prescribed  a  censure  for  what 
they  reckon  small  ofiences,  which  to  us  appears  abun- 
dantly severe.  It  is  a  dissolution  of  the  connexion  be- 
tween their  synod  and  the  oflfender.  We  cannot  dis- 
tinguish between  this  and  excommunication.  What 
more  can  they  do,  in  the  case  of  any  offender,  than  to 
dissolve  the  connexion  between  their  synod  and  him  ? 
Excommunication,  and  putting  one  out  of  a  society 
for  his  offences,  are  so  very  like  one  another,  that  we 
would  be  obliged  to  these  brethren  if  they  would  show 
ufl  the  difference.     And  if  they  judge  there  is  any,  we 


NARRATIVE.  75 

would  next  desire  to  know  what  they  mean  by  ex- 
communication ?  And  what  Scripture  authority  they 
have  for  this  other  censure  ?  And,  if  they  plead  none, 
what  authority  they  have  to  add  to  the  censures  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  hath  appointed  in  his  church,  as  if  these 
were  not  sufficient  ? 

This  new  synod,  so  far  as  we  can  understand  the 
sixth  and  seventh  articles  of  their  constitution,  have 
one  set  of  terms  on  which  they  will  admit  people  to 
what  they  call  fixed  communion ;  another  set  of  terms 
on  which  they  will  admit  people  to  what  they  call  oc- 
casional communion :  one  door  by  which  a  man  may 
enter  and  stay  with  them ;  another  by  which  he  may 
enter,  if  he  is  soon  to  go  out  again.  This  scheme  of 
occasional  communion  we  do  absolutely  reject,  as 
having  no  place  in  the  word  of  Grod,  and  as  having 
been  unknown  in  the  churches  of  Christ ;  till  some,  to 
avoid  persecution  for  the  cross  of  Christ,  or  to  promote 
their  worldly  interest,  devised  it.  It  began  to  be  fre- 
quently practised  in  England,  by  those  dissenters,  who, 
during  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  and  that  of  his  brother, 
chose  to  evade  the  penalty  of  some  of  the  persecuting 
laws,  by  communicating  sometimes  with  the  established 
church,  rather  than  to  suffer  affliction  with  their  breth- 
ren. And  after  the  persecution  was  over,  there  were 
some  who  practised  the  same  expedient,  that  they 
might,  according  to  the  laws  of  that  kingdom,  be  quali- 
fied for  places  of  public  trust,  and  who,  when  this  end 
was  too  selfish  to  be  plainly  avowed,  pretended  Catholic 
love ',  and  others,  who  had  no  such  sinister  ends,  were 
drawn  into  the  snare.  Ever  since,  the  scheme  has 
had  many  advocates,  both  in  Britain  and  in  America. 
But  it  carries  in  it  a  manifest  inconsistency.  If  we 
may  enter  into  church  fellowship  with  any  particular 
society  or  description  of  men  for  one  day,  why  should 


76  NARRATIVE. 

we  not  have  fellowship  with  them  (supposing  that  they 
continue  the  same)  the  next,  a  third,  and  so  on  to  the 
end  of  our  lives  ? 

The  last  article  of  this  new  synod's  constitution,  in 
which  they  profess*  to  be  extremely  tender  of  encroach- 
ing on  the  congregations  of  other  Presbyterians,  may 
serve  to  impress  people  with  a  favourable  apprehension 
of  their  candour ;  but  we  very  well  know,  that  one  of 
their  presbyteries,  whose  proceedings  we  have-  best 
access  to,  to  know,  do  not  make  it  the  rule  of  their 
conduct  towards  the  few  congregations  belonging  to 
us.  If  they  think  a  detail  of  the  facts,  on  which  this 
charge  is  founded,  will  do  them  any  credit,  it  may  be 
given. 

These  remarks  upon  the  Constitution  of  the  Associ- 
ate Reformed  Synod  we  judge  necessary,  as  a  warning 
against  that  latitudinaHan  scheme  which  it  is  calculated 
to  promote;  and  as  a  vindication  of  the  conduct  of 
this  Presbytery,  in  refusing  to  agree  to  that  union 
which  produced  it.  Upon  the  whole,  it  is  absurd  for 
any  to  allege,  that  the  brethren  who  left  us  stand  on 
the  same  ground  they  formerly  did.  With  their  pri- 
vate sentiments,  or  their  hearts,  we  have  no  business ; 
but  their  profession  we  do  assuredly  know  to  be  not 
the  same  which  it  was,  while  they  were  connected 
with  us.  They  either  were  then,  or  are  now,  in  a 
wrong  course.* 

*  Nearly  fifty  years  have  now  elapsed  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Associate  Reformed  church ;  and  the  correctness 
of  the  ahove  remarks  on  her  constitution  has  been  clearly  ex- 
hibited. For  some  time  she  continued  to  observe  the  usages 
of  the  Associate  church,  from  which  she  separated.  But,  be- 
coming numerous  and  popular,  some  of  her  ministers  began 
to  manifest  symptoms  of  dissatisfaction  with  many  of  these 
usages,  acted  contrary  to  them,  wrote  against  them,  and  at- 
tempted their  abolition.  The  observance  of  fast  and  preach- 
ing days,  in  connexion  with  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 


NARRATIVE.  77 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Reasons  why  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  have 
stated  their  Principles  in  the  manner  they  have  now  done. 

The  necessity  of  stating  the  testimony  which  we 
maintain,  in  such  a  manner  as  may,  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  best  answer  the  ends  designed  by  it,  has  been 

supper,  close  communion,  and  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Scrip- 
ture Psalms,  seem  to  have  been  greatly  obnoxious  to  her 
leading  men.  Many  imbibed  the  sentiments,  and  imitated 
the  practices  of  these  innovators,  while  others  tenaciously 
adhered  to  the  old  way.  This  diversity  of  sentiment  and 
practice  agitated  for  years  her  ecclesiastical  assemblies,  ex- 
tended also  to  her  congregations,  and  produced  in  both  much 
discussion.  The  excitement  was  increased  by  permission  to 
introduce  the  Dutch  Psalms,  and  by  repeated  attempts  to  form 
a  union  with  the  Presbyterian  and  Dutch  Reformed  churches. 
Almost  every  year  some  new  project  was  brought  forward 
and  discussed,  till  at  last,  instead  of  uniting  with  other  so- 
cieties, and  diminishing  the  number  of  separate  contending 
denominations,  she  was  herself  broken  into  fragments.  One 
fragment  was  formed  into  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the 
South ;  another  into  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  West ; 
and  a  third  into  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  North. 
The  latter  formed  the  main  body  of  the  church,  and  were  in 
possession  of  her  funds  and  property.  These,  by  a  late  union, 
formed  by  a  majority  of  her  delegates,  representing,  how- 
ever, a  minority  of  the  church,  have  been  transferred  to  the 
General  Assembly.  Thus  has  the  history  of  the  Associate 
Reformed  church  been  marked  with  unsteadfastness  and  de- 
clension. She  has  still  no  testimony  against  prevailing  evils. 
The  principles  of  the  Secession,  abandoned  in  the  original  act 
of  union,  have  never  yet  been  recognised ;  and  it  is  a  lamen- 
table fact,  that  some  of  her  ministers  make  use  of  human 
compositions  instead  of  Scripture  Psalmody — invite  all  in 
good  standing  in  other  societies  to  a  seat  at  the  Lord's  table, 
and  accept  of  the  same  invitation  from  others.  They  ex- 
7* 


78  NARRATIVE. 

long  acknowledged.  The  brethren  who  have  left  us 
know  that  such  a  statement  was  proposed  and  agreed 
to  by  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
1776.  It  could  not,  however,  be  quickly  effected  in 
the  confusions  of  that  time ;  and  after  the  scheme  of 
uniting  with  the  Reformed  Presbytery  was  set  on  foot, 
those  who  favoured  the  measure  gave  themselves  no 
farther  concern  about  the  statement  which  had  been 
proposed,  and  which  would  have  served  to  instruct 
and  establish  the  people,  adhering  to  us,  in  their  pro- 
fession. 

What  was  necessary  formerly,  we  still  find  more  so 
now.  Our  principles  have  been  industriously  misre- 
presented J  and  the  Judicial  Testimony,  the  Act  con- 
cerning the  Doctrine  of  G-race,  and  other  proceedings 
of  the  Associate  Presbytery,  now  the  Associate  Synod, 
being  in  the  hands  of  few,  and  being  also,  through  many 
references  in  them  to  affairs  well  known  in  Britain,  but 
not  so  here,  less  plain  to  the  people  of  this  country, 
such  misrepresentations  have  succeeded  in  leading 
numbers,  who  once  professed  adherence  to  the  cause  in 
which  we  are  engaged,  into  a  very  opposite  course. 

When  the  secession  was  first  made  from  the  esta- 
blished church  of  Scotland,  the  scattering  of  the  flock 
of  Christ,  by  the  intrusion  of  hirelings  upon  it;  the 
tyranny  of  the  ecclesiastical  courts  towards  those  who 
studied  faithfulness  in  testifying  against  the  prevailing 
apostacy  of  the  times;  and  the  submission  of  those 
courts  to  grievous  encroachments  of  the  civil  powers, 

change  ministerial  services  with  ministers  in  other  societies — 
assisting  and  receiving  assistance,  in  dispensing  sealing  or- 
dinances, and  in  the  ordination  of  ministers,  and  are  still 
tolerated  in  so  doing.  If  we  had  good  reason  for  not  joining 
in  the  union  which  produced  this  church,  the  course  pur- 
sued by  her  for  nearly  half  a  century  renders  still  stronger 
our  obligation  to  remain  separate  from  her. 


NAiRRATrVE.  7& 

were  justly  considered  as  leading  ^\h,  and  were, 
therefore,  largely  insisted  upon  in  the  Judicial  Testi- 
mony, agreed  upon  hy  the  Associate  Presbytery,  1736. 
The  occasion  of  these  evils,  viz.  a  civil  establishment 
of  religion,  not  existing  here,  we  have  not  a  call  to  say 
so  much  concerning  them.  We  do,  however,  most 
readily  concur  with  our  brethren  in  Britain  and  Ire- 
land, in  asserting  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  church 
of  Christ,  against  every  sort  of  opposition. 

But  these  evils  were  not  the  greatest  of  those  which 
gave  rise  to  the  Secession.  In  the  established  church 
of  Scotland  the  truth  was  condemned ;  damnable  here- 
sies were  not  properly  censured ;  grievous  errors  were 
considered  as  deserving  no  reproof;  and  from  the  ad- 
mission of  so  many  hirelings  to  the  ministry,  together 
with  the  negligence  of 'the  judicatories  in  not  casting 
out  the  scandalous,  an  impure  communion  necessarily 
followed.  The  Associate  Presbytery  judged  it  neces- 
sary to  give  several  instances,  in  which  it  appeared, 
that  these  evils  were  justly  chargeable  upon  the  judica- 
tories of  the  established  church :  it  was  necessary  also, 
in  their  circumstances,  that  the  proof  should  be  full  and 
particular.  They  were  not  without  hope  of  being,  in 
some  degree,  useful  to  reclaim  the  ministers  and  people 
of  that  church  from  their  backsliding ;  and  their  hope 
was  not  altogether  in  vain.  Though  the  ringleaders 
in  apostacy^  and,  with  them,  the  majority,  went  on  in 
the  same  pernicious  courses  as  before,  yet  a  very  con- 
siderable number  was  gathered  to  the  standard  lifted 
up  for  the  truth. 

The  evils  last  mentioned  have  for  many  years  past, 
spread  and  increased  in  the  Protestant  churches,  and  he 
who  sees  them  not  in  America,  is  so  far  unable  to  dis- 
cern the  sigjis  of  the  times.  The  opposition  to  the 
cause  and  testimony  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  is  the  same 
here  as  in  Scotland  j  only  it  assumes  a  different  form, 


80  NARRATIVE. 

according  to  whst  the  leaders  in  it,  taking  every  ad- 
vantage from  the  circumstances  of  time  and  place,  judge 
most  effectual  for  promoting  their  own  ends.  The  tes- 
timony we  and  our  brethren  in  Scotland  maintain,  is 
the  same ;  and  the  great  design  of  it  is  the  preservation 
of  the  doctrine  taught  in  the  word  of  God.  We  regard 
Confessions,  Testimonies,  and  Covenants,  of  former 
and  present  times,  only  as  subservient  to  that  design. 

We  have  been,  and  expect  to  be,  reproached  as  nar- 
row-minded and  uncharitable.  But  this  ought  not  to 
seem  strange  to  us,  or  to  move  us  from  our  duty.  The 
way  the  Lord  approves  is  scarcely  ever  fashionable ; 
and  those  who  walk  in  it  are,  so  far  as  they  are  known 
to  the  world  by  an  open  profession  of  the  truth,  a  party 
every  where  sjpoken  against.  We  are  not  conscious  of 
being  narrow-minded,  while  we  approve  all  that  we 
can  see  good  in  any ;  nor  of  being  uncharitable,  while 
we  regard  all  those  as  Christians  who  trust  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  alone  for  salvation,  as  he  is  made  of  God  unto 
us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctijication,  and  redemp- 
tion ;  and  who  manifest  the  truth  of  their  faith  by  a 
conversation  becoming  the  gospel.  In  refusing  to 
enter  into  church  fellowship  with  such  of  them  as  hold 
principles  we  cannot  approve,  or  oppose  what  we  be- 
lieve to  be  duty,  we  cannot  see  that  we  act  unchari- 
tably towards  them.  An  opposite  conduct  would  con- 
firm them  in  what  is  wrong,  and  hurt  us ;  seeing,  in  the 
present  state  of  things,  it  would  be  considered  as  an 
evidence  that  we  were  gone  into  the  prevailing  indif- 
ference of  the  age,  esteeming  all  those  truths,  which 
are  subjects  of  controversy  among  Christians,  circum- 
stantial, or  small  matters,  not  worth  contending  for;  an 
opinion  which  we  judge  contrary  to  the  word  of  God, 
and  exceedingly  pernicious  to  his  church.  To  do  any 
thing  which  implies  a  disregard  to  the  truth,  is  not  the 
way  to  bring  others  to  a  proper  acknowledgment  of  it. 


NARRATIVE.  81 

To  give  countenance  to  corruptions  is  not  the  way  to 
remove  them. 

Whatever  expectations  have  been  expressed  by  some 
who  do  not  wish  well  to  the  cause  in  which  we  are  en- 
gaged, that  it  would  come  to  nothing  in  this  part  of  the 
world  -J  and  whatever  such  have  done  to  place  it  in  a 
contemptible  light ;  yet,  persuaded  that  it  is  the  cause 
of  truth,  we  are  not  afraid  nor  ashamed  to  appear  in  it : 
if  it  were  to  fall,  better  to  fall  with  it,  than  to  rise  upon 
its  ruins.  They  have  much  to  answer  for,  who,  by 
their  deserting  and  misrepresenting  it,  have  brought  it 
so  low. 

We  have,  in  this  narrative,  and  in  the  testimony 
which  follows  it,  studied,  according  to  the  solemn  en- 
gagements we  are  under,  to  discharge  our  duty  in  main- 
taining that  banner,  the  Lord  has  given,  to  be  displayed 
because  of  tlie  truth.  In  this  course  we  desire  to  per- 
severe, depending  on  the  Redeemer  and  Head  of  the 
church,  who  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and  to  them  thai, 
have  no  might  increaseth  strength,  and  from  whom  alone 
is  all  the  success  which  attends  the  labours  of  any  in 
the  service  of  the  gospel.  May  his  kingdom  come,  and 
the  promise  be  farther  accomplished,  that,  from  the 
rising  of  the  sun,  even  unto  the  going  down  of  the  samCy 
his  name  should  be  great  among  the  GENTILES! 
Amen. 


DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY 


FOR    THE 


DOCTRINE  AND  ORDER  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST, 


AND   AGAINST   THE 


ERRORS  OF  THE  PRESENT  TIMES. 


ACT  OF  THE  ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERY, 

APPROVING   "the   declaration   AND   TESTIMONY." 

Pequea,  August  25,  1784. 

The  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  having 
found  it  necessary  to  state  the  Testimony  they  maintain 
for  the  Doctrine  and  Order  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  in 
such  a  manner  as  would  render  it  more  plain  to  people 
in  this  country;  better  adapted  to  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  are  placed;  and  more  directly  pointed 
against  the  errors  of  the  present  time ;  did,  in  May  last, 
enter  upon  that  work.  And,  having  had  several  meet- 
ings for  prayer  and  conference  upon  the  subject,  in  the 
course  of  this  summer,  a  draught  of  this  work  was 
presented;  which,  having  been  considered  at  several 
meetings,  was  at  last  finished.  On  this  and  the  pre- 
ceding day,  it  was  carefully  read  by  paragraphs;  then 
the  question  being  put,  "  Approve  of  the  Declaration 
and  Testimony,  for  the  Doctrine  and  Order  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  or  not?"  it  was  carried,  unanimously, 
'^  Approve  :"  Wherefore,  the  Presbytery  did,  and  here- 
by do,  judicially  approve  this  Declaration  and  Testi- 
mony, as  containing  their  views  of  present  truth  and 
duty,  and  as  a  Confession  of  that  faith  to  which,  through 
the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  they  are  resolved  to 
adhere. 

This,  by  order  of  Presbytery,  is  signed, 

William  Marshall,  Moderatw, 
Extracted  by 

John  Anderson,  Presbytery  Clerk. 

84 


DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY. 


PAET  FIRST. 

Concerning  God's  goodness  to  Tiis  Church,  and  the  Testi- 
mony for  Truth  maintained  by  lier. 

I.  ONE  generation  shall  praise  the  icorhs  of  five 
Lord  to  another,  and  shall  declare  his  mighti/  acts  j,^ 
the  fathers  to  tJie  children  shall  make  knoivn  his  truth.'f 
Instructed  in  our  duty,  and  encouraged  to  study  a  faith- 
ful performance  of  it,  by  these  and  other  like  precious 
promises  of  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  we  publish 
to  the  world,  this  Testimony  and  Declahation  of  our 
principles^  in  which  our  design  is,  First,  To  express 
our  thankful  remembrance  of  what  the  Lord  hath  done 
for  his  church  in  former  times ;  especially  what  he  hath 
done  for  that  particular  church  with  which  we  are  most 
immediately  connected,  and  concerning  which  we  may 
say,  0  God,  ice  have  heard  with  our  ears;  our  fathers 
have  told  ics  tlie  works  thou  didst  in  their  days,  in  the 
times  of  old. \  Secondly,  To  declare  our  adherence  to 
the  testimony  maintained  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
by  the  churches  of  the  reformation,  in  the  confessions 
of  faith,  especially  to  the  testimony  maintained  by  that 
particular  church  with  which  we  are  most  immediately 
connected,  in  its  best  and  purest  times.  This  adhe- 
rence is  not,  however,  an  implicit  assent  to  all  that  any 
church  has  said  or  done ;  it  is  not  to  be  considered  as 

*  Psalm  cxlv.  4.       -j-  Isaiah  xxxviii.  19.        %  Psalm  xliv.  1, 
8  85 


86  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

extending  beyond  what  we  do  in  our  testimony  assert. 
TJiirdly,  To  vindicate  the  truths  expressed  in  our  Con- 
fession of  Faith;  particularly  in  those  articles  of  it  which 
have  been  perverted ;  and  of  which  the  plain  and  ge- 
nuine sense  has  been  denied  by  some  who  profess  to 
receive  it  as  the  confession  of  their  faith. 

II.  We  being,  therefore,  authorized  by  the  command- 
ment of  God,  encouraged  by  his  promise,  and  moved, 
we  trust,  with  some  degree  of  zeal  for  the  glory  of  his 
name,  do  make  this  joint,  open,  and  express  acknow- 
ledgment of  the  truth  revealed  in  his  word,  and  of  the 
loving-kindness  manifested  in  his  providence  towards 
the  church,  in  opposition  to  those  who  contemn  or  deny 
the  one  or  the  other. 

III.  We  desire  to  celebrate  the  mercy  of  the  Lord, 
because  he  remembered  us  in  our  fallen,  wretched  state, 
and  gave  to  our  first  parents,  after  they  had  sinned,  a 
promise  of  grace  and  salvation,  in  the  intimation  made 
to  them  of  a  Kedeemer,  who  should  destroy  the  loorks 
of  the  devil,  and  rescue  a  chosen  seed  from  the  bondage 
in  which  that  adversary  held  them.  In  the  first  gospel 
promise  the  day  dawned,  and  in  the  farther  revelations 
made  during  the  Old  Testament  dispensation,  the  light 
increased,  till  Christ  tlie  Sun  of  righteousness  arose 
with  healing  in  his  wings. 

IV.  We  do,  therefore,  testify  against  those  who  af- 
firm, that  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  an  eternal 
state,  were  not  made  known  in  the  Old  Testament 
scriptures ;  and  that  the  people  of  Grod  had,  in  those 
times,  no  other  promises  than  such  as  belong  to  the 
present  life.  The  teachers  of  these  errors  too  plainly 
follow  the  Sadducees,  in  their  opinion  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament scriptures,  and  though  bearing  the  Christian 
name,  do  arrogantly  presume  that  they  are  better  able 
to  interpret  the  sacred  oracles  than  our  Lord  Jesus, 
who  confuted  the  Sadducees,  and  proved  the  doctrine 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  8T 

of  another  state,  after  death,  from  the  books  of  Moses, 
the  first  of  the  inspired  writers. 

V.  We  desire  to  celebrate  the  mercy  of  the  Lord, 
in  making  the  day-spring  from  on  high  to  visit  the 
Gentile  nations,  giving  light  to  them  who  sat  in  dark- 
ness, and  ill  tJie  shadow  of  death ;  thus  accomplishing 
what  he  had  long  before  spoken,  by  the  mouth  of  his 
servants  the  prophets,  concerning  the  gathering  of 
many  nations  to  Christ.  God  the  Lord  hath  showed 
us  light  J  Let  us  render  to  hiin  the  sacrifice,  of  thanks- 
giving.^ 

YI.  We  testify  against  all  who  make  light  of  this 
merciful  visitation,  either  by  ascribing  the  rapid  pro- 
gress of  Christianity,  after  our  Lord's  ascension,  to  the 
political  abilities,  or  to  the  eloquence  of  those  employed 
in  spreading  it;  denying  that  display  of  Almighty 
power  and  grace,  whereby  the  nations,  till  then  slaves 
of  Satan,  were  moved  to  yield  a  willing  subjection  to 
the  Lord  Jesus ;  or  by  alleging,  that,  though  Christi- 
anity be  a  blessing,  yet  men  may  be  saved  who  have 
no  knowledge  of  it,  if  they  are  diligent  to  frame  their 
lives  according  to  the  light  of  nature,  and  the  laws  of 
that  religion  which  they  profess. 

VII.  We  do  acknowledge  the  goodness  of  God  in 
preserving  his  church  in  the  worst  of  times ;  particu- 
larly under  the  long,  the  dark,  and  the  dreadful  night 
of  Antichrist's  reign.  He  gave  power,  that  is,  autho- 
rity, zeal,  and  ability,  to  his  tuitnesses ;  though  few  in 
number,  and  beset  with  subtle  and  furious  enemies,  to 
testify  for  his  truth,  against  the  horrible  errors  and 
abominations  of  that  Synagogue  of  Satan,  called,  by 
men,  the  Church  of  Rome;  but  called  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  the  New  Testament  prophecies,  the  great  whore, 
drunk  with  the  blood  of  the  saints — the  motJier  of  harlots 

*  Psalm  cxviii.  27. 


88  DECLAEATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

and  abominations  of  the  earth — a  mystery  of  iniquity  ; 
and  which  the  Holy  Spirit  farther  describes  by  the 
names  of  Sodom,  Egypt,  and  Babylon  ;  signifying  that 
impurity  of  life,  heaven-daring  pride,  and  extreme 
cruelty  towards  the  people  of  Grod,  would  be  its  dis- 
tinguishing characters. 

VIII.  We  adhere  to  the  testimony  maintained  by 
these  witnesses  : — 1.  For  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by 
free  grace,  through  Jesus  Christ,  in  opposition  to  the 
antichristian  doctrine  of  salvation  being  partly  merited 
by  our  works. — 2.  For  this  truth.  That  the  traditions  of 
men  ought,  in  every  case,  to  give  place  to  the  word  of 
God.  His  word  is  the  only  rule  by  which  all  doctrines 
are  to  be  tried,  and  according  to  which  all  things  in 
the  church  are  to  be  regulated. 

IX.  We  are  bound  to  remember  and  acknowledge 
with  thanksgiving,  the  works  of  the  Lord,  the  right 
hand  of  the  Most  High,  in  the  reformation,  by  which 
our  fathers  were  delivered  from  the  darkness,  the  super- 
stition, and  the  deadly  errors  of  the  Romish  Antichrist. 
What  was  the  duty  of  Israel  is  our  duty,  to  keep  in 
mind  the  multitude  of  the  Lord^s  mercies,  how  he  de- 
livered our  fathers  from  a  worse  than  Egyptian  bond- 
age, restoring  to  them  that  light  of  the  gospel,  which, 
through  the  fraud  and  tyranny  of  Antichrist,  had  long 
been  hid  els  under  a  bushel ;  and  by  them  transmitting 
to  us  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  liberty  to  profess  it, 
and  many  valuable  privileges  which  we  at  this  present 
time  enjoy.  This  was  the  doing  of  the  Lord,  and  should 
be  Tnarvellous  in  our  eyes,  as  the  most  remarkable  de- 
liverance wrought  for  the  church  since  the  days  of  the 
apostles.  Though  this  deliverance  was  effected  in  a 
way  less  miraculous  than  that  by  which  the  Lord  brought 
his  ancient  people  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage,  yet  it  was  not  less  gracious,  not  less 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  89 

the  work  of  God,  and  not  less  worthy  of  admiration 
and  praise. 

X.  We  therefore  judge  it  necessary  to  testify  against 
those  who  refuse  to  acknowledge  any  other  hand  than 
that  of  men  in  this  great  event.  Who  disposed  the 
minds  of  men,  in  different  places,  to  concur  in  attempt- 
ing a  reformation  ?  Who  led  them  forward  to  it,  while 
frequently  they  took  one  step  without  knowing  what 
should  be  the  next  ?  Who  made  the  learning,  the  po- 
litics, and  even  the  confusions  of  the  times,  favour  its 
progress?  Who  but  He  iclio  ruleth  in  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  God  our  king 
from  the  beginning,  working  salvation  m  the  midst 
of  the  earth  ?  He  looked  down  from  the  height  of  his 
sanctuary :  from  heaven  did  the  Lord  behold  the 
earth,  to  hear  the  groaning  of  the  prisoners,  to  set 
them  free  whom  the  man  of  sin  had  appointed  to 
death,^  that  they  might  declare  his  name  and  his  praise 
in  the  church. 

XI.  We  adhere  to  that  express  and  glorious  testi- 
mony, for  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  free  grace, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  which  the  Reformed  churches 
did  then  so  zealously  maintain ;  and  for  which  the  wit- 
nesses of  Jesus,  in  these  times,  did,  many  of  them, 
suffer  unto  death.  This  doctrine  we  believe  to  be  of 
God,  as  being  plainly  taught  in  his  word ;  and  are  fully 
persuaded  that  he  never  did,  nor  ever  will,  bless  an 
opposite  doctrine  in  his  church.  By  no  other  doctrine 
has  any  church  been  reformed,  or  the  power  of  godli- 
ness made  to  revive  and  flourish,  and  Christians  carried 
triumphantly  through  trials  of  mocking,  and  scourging, 
imprisonment,  and  death,  for  the  name  of  Jesus. 

XII.  The  apostacy  of  many,  in  the  reformed 
churches,  from  this  doctrine,  and  the  negligence  of 


*  Psalm  cii.  19,  20. 
8* 


90  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

others,  in  not  contending  earnestly  for  it,  we  testify 
against,  and  desire  to  lament  as  grievous  sins,  on  ac- 
count of  which  the  Lord  is,  in  many  instances,  leaving 
men  to  walk  in  their  own  ways,  and  after  the  imagina- 
tion of  their  own  hearts ;  so  that  they  go  from  evil  to 
worse,  denying  the  leading  articles  of  revealed  truth, 
one  after  another,  till  many  of  them  do  plainly  avow 
their  entire  rejection  of  the  Christian  faith. 

Xin.  Farther,  we  adhere  to  the  testimony  main- 
tained at  the  reformation  for  this  truth,  That  the  wor- 
ship, government,  and  discipline  of  the  church  of 
Christ  is  to  be  learned  from  his  word,  not  from  the 
traditions  or  commandments  of  men.  The  rubbish  of 
ages  could  not,  indeed,  be  all  removed  in  one  day ;  if 
the  circumstances  of  the  times,  particularly  the  igno- 
rance of  the  common  people,  who  had  been  brought  up 
in  darkness,  the  false  policy  of  some  of  the  civil  powers, 
and  the  imperfect  views  of  the  reformers,  who,  like 
other  men,  had  to  learn  one  thing  after  another,  hin- 
dered the  reformation  from  being  carried  to  such  per- 
fection as  it  might  otherwise  have  attained,  it  does  not 
follow  that  we  ought  to  copy  the  blemishes  of  the  first 
Protestant  churches :  they  are  no  friends  to  the  refor- 
mation who  have  labourecf  to  stop  its  progress ;  much 
less  are  they  friends  to  it  who  have  rejected  the  doc- 
trine of  salvation  by  free  grace,  so  purely  taught,  and 
so  eminently  blessed  in  the  churches,  at  the  reforma- 
tion, and  have  earnestly  contended,  even  to  the  perse- 
cuting of  their  brethren,  for  that  antichristian  form  of 
church  government,  and  those  superstitions  which  the 
first  reformers  in  some  churches  were  not  able  to  re- 
move. Such  is  the  character  which  many  of  the  ad- 
vocates for  the  Episcopal  church  of  England  justly  de- 
serve. The  reformation  was  very  imperfect  in  that 
kingdom ;  the  lordly  dominion  of  bishops,  and  a  num- 
ber of  Popish  ceremonies,  were  not  taken  away  j  which 


I^ECLARATIOIf  AND  TESTIMONY.  91 

evils  have  siace  proved  a  snare,  and,  while  they  con- 
tinue, will  do  so,  to  the  churches  in  Britain.  Attach- 
ment to  these  remains  of  antichristianism  being  like 
that  of  Israel  to  the  high  places ;  the  more  sinful,  the 
more  plainly  and  fully  the  Lord  has  testified  against  it. 

XIV.  We  declare  our  adherence  to  the  whole  doe- 
trine  contained  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Cate- 
chisms agreed  upon  by  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at 
Westminster,  with  commissioners  from  the  church  of 
Scotland,  and  received  by  said  church.  And  we,  being 
a  branch  of  that  church,  and  still  having  an  immediate 
connexion  with  our  brethren  in  that  country,  (the 
ministers  and  people  belonging  to  the  Associate  Synod,) 
do  join  with  them  in  the  testimony  they  maintain  for 
the  doctrine  expressed  in  the  said  Confession  and  Cate- 
chisms, for  the  divine  right  of  Presbyterial  church 
government;  for  the  spiritual  privileges  of  the  church, 
particularly  this,  That  it  is  not  bound  to  acknowledge 
any  other  head  than  Christ,  or  any  other  law  than 
his ;  for  the  warrantableness  and  perpetual  obligation 
of  the  covenant-engagements,  which  the  church  of 
Scotland  came  under,  to  abide  by  the  principles  of  the 
reformation.  And  likewise  we  join  with  them  in  ad- 
hering to  the  testimonies  of  those  who  during  former 
times  of  apostacy,  and  during  the  persecutions  which 
have  formerly  raged  in  Scotland,  witnessed  and  suf- 
fered for  the  truth ;  so  far  as  these  testimonies  had  the 
maintenance  of  the  principles  of  the  reformation,  which 
we  profess,  for  their  leading  design. 

XV.  We  judge  it  necessary,  however,  in  professing 
our  adherence  to  the  Westminster  Confession,  to  de- 
clare, as  our  brethren  in  Scotland  have  done,  our  mind 
concerning  the  power  of  the  civil  magistrate  in  matters 
of  religion,  more  particularly  than  that  Confession 
does. 

We  do,  therefore,  assert,  that,  as  the  kingdom  of 


92  DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY. 

Christ  is  spiritual,  acknowledging  no  other  laws  and 
no  other  rulers  than  he  has  appointed  in  it,  so  the  civil 
magistrate,  as  such,  is  no  ruler  in  the  church  of  Christ ; 
and  has  no  right  to  interfere  in  the  administration  of  its 
government.  He  is  bound  to  improve  every  opportu- 
nity which  his  high  station  and  extensive  influence 
may  give  him,  for  promoting  the  faith  of  Christ,  for 
opposing  the  enemies  of  this  faith,  for  supporting  and 
encouraging  true  godliness,  and  for  discouraging  what- 
ever in  principle  or  practice  is  contrary  to  it.  But  to 
accomplish  these  ends,  it  is  not  warrantable  for  him  to 
use  any  kind  of  violence  either  towards  the  life,  the 
property,  or  the  consciences  of  men  :  He  ought  not  to 
punish  any  as  heretics  or  schismatics ;  nor  ought  he  to 
grant  any  privileges  to  those  whom  he  judges  profes- 
sors of  the  true  religion,  which  may  hurt  others  in  their 
natural  rights ;  his  whole  duty,  as  a  magistrate,  respects 
men,  not  as  Christians,  but  as  members  of  civil  society. 
The  appointed  means  for  promoting  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  are  all  of  a  spiritual  nature.  The  weapons  of 
our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  hut  spiritual,  and  mighty, 
not  through  the  force  of  human  laws,  compelling  men 
to  that  which  they  dislike,  but,  through  God,  by  his 
almighty  power  and  grace,  making  the  obstinate  and 
rebellious  yield  a  cheerful  submission  to  it. 

XYI.  If  any  article  of  our  Confession  of  Faith 
seems  to  give  any  other  power  to  the  civil  magistrate, 
in  matters  of  religion,  than  what  we  have  now  declared 
to  be  competent  to  him,  we  are  to  be  considered  as  re- 
ceiving it  only  in  so  far  as  it  agrees  with  other  articles 
of  the  same  Confession,  in  which  the  spiritual  nature 
of  the  church  is  asserted,  and  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  denied  to  belong  to  the  civil  magistrate ;  and 
in  so  far  as  it  agrees  with  this  declaration  of  our  prin- 
ciples. 

XVII.  We  maintain,  with  the  Westminster  Assem- 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  93 

bly,  that  God  alone  is  Lord  of  the  conscience,  and  hath 
left  it  free  from  the  doctrines  and  commandments  of 
men ;  and  declare  that  no  man  possesses  a  right  to  com- 
pel those  who  are  under  his  civil  authority,  to  worship 
Grod  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  conscience. 
This  freedom  from  compulsion,  whether  it  be  called 
privilege,  liberty,  or  right,  cannot  be  denied  to  men, 
under  any  pretence  whatsoever,  unless  we  adopt  the 
principle  that  men  should  serve  God,  not  according  to 
their  own  conscience,  but  according  to  the  will  or  con- 
science of  those  who  are  over  them,  in  power  or  au- 
thority. Yet  this  right  cannot  be  pleaded  in  behalf  of 
principles  or  practices  destructive  to  civil  society; 
therefore  the  civil  magistrate  does  not  go  beyond  the 
limits  prescribed  to  him,  when  he  lays  those  under  re- 
straint who  teach  that  it  is  their  duty  to  destroy  the 
lives  of  such  as  they  judge  heretics ;  that  they  are  not 
obliged  to  fulfil  promises  made  to  persons  whom  they 
consider  in  that  light;  and  that  they  may  lawfully 
break  their  oaths,  if  they  obtain  a  dispensation  for  this 
purpose  from  the  pope  of  Rome.  The  safety  of  so- 
ciety renders  it  necessary  to  guard  against  persons  of 
this  description,  not  because  they  are  of  a  false  religion, 
but  because  they  are  enemies  to  the  rights  of  mankind, 
and  would  use  their  liberty  to  destroy  that  of  other 
people.  Thus  the  magistrate,  in  discharging  his  duty 
to  civil  society,  is  often  the  instrument,  in  the  hand  of 
God,  for  protecting  his  church  from  the  fury  of  perse- 
cuting enemies. 

XVIII.  The  civil  magistrate  not  only  may,  but  ought 
to  restrain  those  vices  which  are  destructive  to  civil  so- 
ciety, and  for  which  none  can  plead  as  what  they  are 
bound  in  conscience  to  practise,  seeing  the  light  of  na- 
ture testifies  against  them:  he  ought  be  a  terror  to 
evil  doerSj  and  a  praise  to  them  who  do  well.     Thus 


94  DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY. 

the  proper  exercise  of  his  office  is,  in  its  consequences, 
beneficial  to  the  church. 

XIX.  It  is  the  duty  of  Christians,  plainly  and  fre- 
quently enjoined  upon  them  in  the  word  of  God,  and 
acknowledged  in  the  Confession  of  all  the  reformed 
churches,  to  submit  to  the  government  of  that  country 
in  which  Providence  has  ordered  their  lot.  The  civil 
magistrate,  being  an  infidel,  or  of  what  we  judge  a  false 
religion,  does  not,  as  our  Confession  most  justly  de- 
clares, free  us  from  an  obligation  to  acknowledge  his 
authority,  and  to  obey  him  in  all  lawful  commands. 
Civil  societies  may,  and  ought  to  preserve  their  rights 
and  liberties ;  and  to  them  it  belongs  to  set  up  those 
forms  of  government,  and  those  magistrates,  whom 
they  judge  most  proper.  It  is  a  sad  truth,  that  in  doing 
so,  nations  frequently  neglect  to  acknowledge  God, 
and  give  things  injurious  to  religion  a  place  in  their 
civil  constitutions.  Against  these  evils,  Christians 
ought  to  testify,  as  the  Lord  gives  them  opportunity. 
But  they  ought,  by  no  means,  on  account  of  such 
blemishes  in  any  government  established  by  the  con- 
sent of  a  nation,  to  refuse  submission  to  it  in  all  law- 
ful commands,  especially  while  it  grants  the  same  pro- 
tection to  them  as  to  the  other  members  of  the  com- 
munity. 

XX.  As  we  acknowledge  that  it  was  not  only  law- 
ful, but  highly  expedient,  for  the  church  of  Scotland  to 

.  enter  into  the  most  solemn  engagements,  as  she  did  in 
the  National  Covenant,  and  in  the  Solemn  League  and 
Covenant  of  the  three  nations,  to  abide  by  the  doctrine 
taught,  and  the  order  established,  in  that  church ;  to 
study  the  preservation  of  the  reformed  religion,  the  re- 
moving of  those  corruptions  and  disorders  which  hin- 
dered its  progress,  and  the  uniting  of  its  friends  in  the 
same  profession  of  the  faith,  and  to  study  that  purity 
of  life  and  conversation  which  becometh  the  gospel,  so 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  95 

we  acknowledge  these  engagements  to  be  still  binding 
on  us.  Not  that  we  judge  every  thing  in  the  manner 
of  covenanting,  used  by  the  church  of  Scotland  in 
former  times,  a  proper  example  for  us  to  follow,  or 
that  we  judge  the  form  of  words  they  used  still  binding 
as  an  oath  upon  us.  As  to  what  may  be  called  the 
civil  part  of  these  covenants,  it  is  what  we  neither  have, 
nor  ever  had  any  thing  to  do  with. — Nothing  of  that 
kind  has  a  place  in  the  bond  which  our  brethren  in 
Scotland  use  in  covenanting;  they  judged  it  improper 
to  mix  civil  and  religious  matters  in  such  covenants, 
and  we  are  of  the  same  mind  with  them. 

XXI.  But,  that  we  may  not  be  chargeable  with  de- 
ceiving, either  the  world,  or  one  another,  by  a  general 
profession  of  adherence  to  these  engagements  of  our 
ancestors,  not  explained : — 

1.  We  do  more  particularly  declare,  that,  as  our  an- 
cestors engaged  to  hold  fast  and  defend  the  doctrine 
received  by  them,  and  by  the  other  churches  of  the 
reformation,  against  those  who  were  at  that  time  its 
most  remarkable  enemies  in  Britain,  namely,  the  Pa- 
pists and  others,  whose  zeal  for  Episcopal  power,  and 
for  superstitious  ceremonies,  together  with  their  perse- 
cuting spirit,  made  them  be  justly  considered  as  ene- 
mies to  the  reformation;  so  the  same  engagements  lie 
on  us  to  hold  fast  and  defend  the  same  truth,  against 
all  who  do  now,  or  afterward  may  oppose  it,  in  that 
part  of  the  world  where  we  live. 

2.  We  declare,  that  as  our  ancestors  engaged  to  study 
the  preservation,  the  purity,  and  the  increase  of  the 
church  of  Christ  in  Britain ;  so  the  same  engagements 
lie  on  us  to  study  the  preservation,  the  purity,  and  the 
increase  of  the  church  of  Christ  in  the  United  States 
of  North  America,  or  wherever  Providence  may  order 
our  lot. 

3.  We  declare,  that  as  our  ancestors  engaged  to  as- 


96  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

sist  each  other  in  maintaining  the  cause  of  Christ  against 
its  adversaries;  to  study  personal  reformation;  and  to 
perform  the  duties  incumbent  on  them,  as  members  of 
civil  society,  towards  superiors,  inferiors,  or  equals ;  so 
the  same  engagements  lie  on  us  to  walk,  in  all  these 
respects,  worthy  the  vocation  wherewith  we  are  called. 

4.  Finally,  We  declare,  that  it  is  our  duty,  relying 
on  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  engage  jointly 
in  a  public  solemn  covenant,  as  our  ancestors  did,  to 
endeavour  a  faithful  performance  of  these  and  all  other 
duties  which  the  word  of  Grod  requires ;  especially  of 
those  duties  which  men  are  most  apt  to  neglect,  or, 
through  fear  of  reproach,  and  hurt  to  their  worldly  in- 
terests, to  be  deterred  from. 

XXII.  Our  brethren  in  Scotland  justly  reckoned  it 
an  absurdity  to  swear  these  covenants  as  framed  in  a 
former  period  of  the  church,  and  full  of  references  to 
persons  and  circumstances  which  do  not  now  exist. 
They  renewed  them  in  a  bond  suited  to  the  time  and 
situation  in  which  they  were  placed.  In  doing  so, 
they  followed  the  example  of  the  church  of  Scotland 
in  times  of  its  greatest  purity.  The  national  covenant 
had  been  several  times  renewed,  but  always  in  a  bond 
suited  to  the  circumstances  of  the  church,  and  the  mer- 
cies and  judgments  passing  over  it,  at  the  particular 
time  when  such  engagements  were  entered  into;  but 
the  matter  and  design  being  still  the  same  in  the  chief 
articles  of  all  these  bonds,  each  of  them  was  very  pro- 
perly called  a  renewing  of  the  first  solemn  covenant  of 
the  Reformed  church  of  Scotland. 

XXIII.  The  engagements  which  are  binding  on  a 
church  are  binding  on  all  the  members  of  it.  The  cir- 
cumstance of  their  being  gathered  out  of  difiierent  na- 
tions can  make  no  difference.  Whatever  was  the  duty 
of  Christians  in  Britain,  is  the  duty  of  Christians  all 
over  the  world,  whenever  the  Lord  calls  them  to  it. 


DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY.  97 

and  gives  them  an  opportunity  to  perform  it.  No 
church  can  make  that  a  duty,  by  engaging  in  solemn 
covenant  to  do  it,  which  was  not  a  duty  before.  We 
must  not  add  to  what  the  Lord  has  commanded,  nor  is 
the  uttermost  of  what  we  can  do  in  serving  him,  more 
than  is  required  of  us.  Thus  our  covenant  engage- 
ments, as  already  stated,  being  nothing  more  than  what 
the  Lord  requires  of  every  one,  and  nothing  more  than 
what  all  who  confess  the  name  of  Jesus  in  sincerity 
and  truth  do  materially  acknowledge  to  be  a  duty ;  so 
every  one,  of  whatsoever  nation  he  be,  who  joins  him- 
self to  that  particular  church  which  owns  them  as  bind- 
ing upon  it,  comes  under  the  same  engagements  with 
his  brethren,  though  he  may  not  have  an  opportunity 
of  declaring  this  in  public  covenanting. 


PART  SECOND. 

Concerning  the  Doctrine  oftJie  Church  of  Christ. 

We  should  not  think  it  necessary  to  add  any  thing 
concerning  the  doctrines  taught  in  our  Confession  of 
Faith,  were  it  not  that  many  of  these  doctrines  are 
perverted  or  denied  by  some  who  profess  to  receive  it 
as  the  Confession  of  their  Faith.  It  is,  therefore,  our 
duty  to  bear  testimony  for  the  truth,  against  these  and 
other  enemies  with  whom  they  join  in  opposing  it. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 


ARTICLE  I.     Of  tTie  Necessity  of  Scripture  Revelation. 

I.  We  declare,  that  we  receive  tlie  holy  Scriptures, 
not  merely  as  a  sufficient  rule,  but  as  the  onli/  rule,  of 
faith  and  obedience.  There  is  no  other  revelation 
made,  either  by  the  light  of  nature,  or  by  a  universal 
tradition,  from  which  men  may  learn  that  God  will  be 
gracious  to  sinners,  will  forgive  their  transgressions,  and 
receive  them  into  his  favour.  The  entrance,  the  evil, 
and  the  extent  of  sin,  and  the  only  propitiation  by  which 
it  is  taken  away,  are  all  unknown  where  the  Scripture 
revelation  is  unknown.  There  is  no  salvation  in  any 
other  than  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  he  is  the  Saviour 
of  his  body  the  church,  not  of  those  who  live  in  heathen 
darkness,  or  who  rebel  against  the  light  of  his  word. 
The  Lord  either  sends  the  gospel  to  those  whom  he 
hath  appointed  to  salvation,  or  he  brings  them  to  some 
place  where  it  is  made  known.  The  Heathen  are  de- 
scribed, by  the  Spirit  of  truth,  as  sitting  in  the  shadow 
of  death,  as  led  captive  hy  Satan  working  in  their  hearts, 
as  children  of  disobedience  ;  and  therefore,  without  ex- 
ception, children  of  wrath. 

II.  The  light  of  nature,  together  with  the  works  of 
creation  and  providence,  does,  however,  so  far  mani- 
fest the  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  God,  as  to 
render  the  Heathen  inexcusable.  Impressions  of  the 
divine  law  still  remain  on  their  hearts.  Their  con- 
sciences do,  in  some  degree,  bear  witness  that  there  is 
a  Judge  higher  than  any  on  earth,  by  whom  their  ac- 
tions are  tried :  and  the  visible  works  of  God  do  mani- 
fest to  their  minds  his  perfections,  invisible  to  the  bodily 
eye,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead :  so  that  they 
are  without  excuse;  because  they  do  not  improve  the 
knowledge  of  God  which  they  have,  in  glorifying  him 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  99 

as  the  Creator,  Grovernor,  and  Judge  of  the  universe ; 
are  not  thankful  for  what  of  his  goodness  is  displayed 
to  them ;  go  into  foolish  imaginations,  quite  contrary  to 
the  light  given  them ;  do  those  things  which  their  own 
consciences  declare  to  be  evil;  and  change  the  truth  of 
God  into  a  lie;  worshipping  and  serving  the  creature 
rather  than  the  Creator;  the  object  of  their  fear,  esteem, 
and  adoration,  being  dumb  idols,  things  inanimate,  de- 
parted spirits,  or  devils  ',  not  Jehovah,  the  only  living 
and  true  God.  Because  they  do  not  give  glory  to  God, 
according  to  the  knowledge  they  have  of  his  great  and 
holy  name,  he  justly  leaves  them  to  proceed  from  one 
degree  of  idolatry  and  wickedness  to  another ;  so  that 
they  become  exceedingly  vile  in  their  lives,  and  ex- 
ceedingly mad  in  their  superstitions. 

III.  We  do,  therefore,  reject  the  opinion  of  those 
who  teach,  that  all  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Being 
to  be  found  in  the  world  is  learned  from  the  revelation 
of  grace  made  to  man  since  the  fall ;  and  that  so  much 
of  this  knowledge  as  we  find  among  those  who  have 
not  the  written  word  has  been  communicated  to  them, 
and  preserved  among  them  by  tradition  only.  This 
opinion  is  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  and  is  designed 
to  pave  the  way  for  other  and  greater  errors ;  as.  First j 
That  there  is  a  revelation  made  to  all,  though  more 
obscurely  to  some.  Secondly,  That  the  revelation  of 
grace  being  universal,  all  of  every  class,  Mahometan, 
or  Heathen,  will  be  saved,  who  study  to  frame  their 
lives  according  to  the  light  they  have,  though  they 
never  saw  or  heard  of  the  written  revelation  we  have, 
and  know  nothing  about  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And, 
Thirdly,  as  a  consequence  of  these  two  errors.  That  it 
is  men's  improvement  of  the  means  they  enjoy,  not 
the  free  grace  of  God  manifested  in  Christ  Jesus, 
which  makes  the  difference  between  those  who  are 
saved  and  those  who  perish. 


100  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

That  the  Heathen  may  be  saved  by  living  according 
to  the  light  they  have,  we  do  reject,  as  an  opinion  di- 
rectly opposite  to  the  Scripture,  which  assures  us, 
that,  hy  ike  deeds,  of  the  law  shall  no  fleshy  no  one  of 
the  human  race,  Jew  or  Gentile,  without  or  within  the 
church,  he  justified  in  the  sight  of  God;  and  as  an  opi- 
nion which  proceeds  upon  a  supposition  of  that  being 
true,  which  the  Scripture  assures  us  is  absolutely  false  : 
For  no  one  of  the  Heathen  ever  did,  and,  by  reason  of 
the  entire  depravity  of  nature  which  is  common  to  all, 
no  one  of  them  ever  can,  live  according  to  the  light  he 
has,  nor  obey  the  law  of  Grod  so  far  as  he  knows  it. 
The  Lord,  beholding  from  heaven  the  children  of  men, 
declares,  that  they  are  all  gone  aside;  they  are  altogether 
become  filthy ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not 


ARTICLE  II.     Of  the  Trinity. 

I.  As  we  adhere  to  the  doctrine  expressed  in  our 
Confession  of  Faith  concerning  the  Trinity,  we  do  re- 
ject all  contrary  opinions;  particularly,  the  error  of  those 
who  deny  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  necessarily 
existent,  which  is  the  same  as  to  deny  that  he  is  equal 
with  the  Father,  and  one  with  the  Father,  God  over 
all,  blessed  for  ever.  The  works  done  by  our  Re- 
deemer show  him  to  be  the  supreme  Jehovah;  by  him 
all  things  were  made,  and  without  him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made.f  He  speaks,  and  it  is 
done  ;  he  commands,  and  it  stands  fast, — the  sole  pre- 
rogative of  the  Most  High.  He  raiseth  the  dead; 
which  he  could  not  do,  if  he  were  not  God  omnipotent. 
He  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness;  which  he 
could  not  do,  if  he  were  not  God  omniscient,  knowing 

*  Psalm  xiv.  2,  3.  f  John  i.  3. 


DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY.  101 

all  things  which  have  been  thought,  said,  or  acted  in 
the  world,  from  Adam  to  the  last  of  his  posterity. 

II.  A  steadfast  belief  of  this  truth,  that  our  Ke- 
deemer  is  Grod,  infinite  in  all  divine  perfections,  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  that  confidence  in  him,  and  love 
to  him,  which  the  Scriptures  require  of  us.  We  are 
commanded  to  honour  Mm,  as  we  honour  the  Father  ;* 
which,  compared  with  that  other  commandment.  Thou 
shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt 
thou  servej'f  plainly  shows  us,  that  he  is  both  a  dis- 
tinct person  from  the  Father,  and  one  in  essence  or 
being  with  the  Father,  the  object  of  the  same  love, 
adoration,  and  praise.  If  we  know  the  depth  of  that 
misery  into  which  we  have  fallen,  and  the  greatness 
of  that  salvation  which  we  need,  we  will  acknowledge 
that  none  but  an  Almighty  Redeemer  can  save  us ;  if 
Jehovah,  the  eternal  God,  is  not  our  help,  we  must 
perish  in  our  sins. 

III.  We  believe  our  Redeemer  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,  by  eternal  generation ;  and  reject  the  opinion  of 
those  who,  denying  this  truth,  teach,  That  he  is  so 
called,  either  on  account  of  the  relation  he,  as  the  head 
of  the  redeemed,  stands  in  to  the  first  person  of  the 
Trinity,  or  on  account  of  his  assumption  of  human 
nature.  The  Scriptures  teach,  that  God  sent  his  Son 
to  redeem  us;  plainly  intimating,  that  the  Redeemer 
was  the  Son  of  God,  abstract  from  the  consideration 
of  his  undertaking  as  a  surety  for  us,  or  of  his  enter- 
ing upon  his  mediatory  work.  His  mission  supposes 
his  sonship ;  his  sonship  does  not  arise  from  his  mis- 
sion :  And  in  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God 
towards  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son 
into  the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  A^m.J  He 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  (his  Son  in  a  sense  absolutely 

*  John  v.  23.        t  Matth.  iv.  10.        t  1  ^^^  i^.  9. 
9* 


102  DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY. 

dififerent  from  that  in  which  any  other  is  so,)  hut  gave 
him  up  for  us  all.* 

IV.  We  do  also  believe,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  God 
equal  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  one  with  them ; 
because  the  Scriptures  of  truth  teach  us,  that  he  gives 
those  gifts  which  none  but  Grod  can  give  ;  searcheth  the 
heart,  and  has  that  perfect  knowledge  of  it,  which  none 
but  God  can  have;  is  every  where  present,  which  none 
but  God  can  be ;  and  is  the  object  of  that  worship  which 
is  due  to  God,  and  to  none  else.  And  we  do  reject  the 
errors  of  those  who  deny  him  to  be  a  distinct  person 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  together  with  all  opinions 
contrary  to  that  revealed  truth.  There  are  three  that 
bear  record  in  Heaven^  the  Father j  the  Word,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  these  three  are  one.'f 

V.  We  do,  moreover,  reckon  it  our  duty  to  be  on  our 
guard  against  receiving  any  pretended  new  explications 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity;  which  may  have  a  show 
of  wisdom,  but  which  speak  not  according  to  the  ora- 
cles of  God ;  because  the  Lord  hath  said  to  us.  Be- 
ware lest  any  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy  and 
vain  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the  rudi- 
ments  of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ. \ 

ARTICLE  III.     Of  Predestination. 

I.  We  believe,  that  God  did  from  eternity  choose 
some  of  fallen  men  to  everlasting  life  in  Christ  Jesus  ; 
not  on  account  of  any  goodness  which  he  foresaw  would 
be  found  in  them,  rendering  them  more  worthy  of  his 
choice  than  the  rest  whom  he  passed  by,  but  according 
to  his  sovereign  good  pleasure.  The  Lord  hath  mercy 
on  whom  he  will  have  mercy.  The  number  and  ag- 
gravations of  men's  sins  are  not  the  cause  of  any  being 

*  Eom.  viii.  82.        f  1  John  v.  7.        %  Col.  ii.  8. 


DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY.  103 

passed  by  in  the  decree  of  election ;  for  GTod  hath  chosen 
some  of  the  chief  of  sinners  :  nor  is  the  comparative 
fewness  of  men's  sins  the  cause  why  any  of  them  are 
appointed  to  obtain  salvation  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  for  every  sinner  deserves  eternal  death ;  and 
no  sinner  is  saved  but  by  free  grace. 

II.  Grod,  who  is  infinite  in  goodness,  exercises  it 
freely  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will.  His 
choosing  of  some  to  eternal  life  is  a  display  of  unmerited 
goodness  to  them ;  and  the  rest  of  fallen  men  whom  he 
passed  by  and  left  to  perish  in  their  sins,  are  not  hereby 
injured:  God,  who  is  just  and  good,  withholds  nothing 
from  them  which  they  can  claim  as  due  to  them.  He 
gave  men  eminent  rank  among  his  creatures,  endowing 
them  with  rational  and  immortal  souls ;  and  they  em- 
ploy all  these  endowments,  which  render  them  higher 
than  the  beasts  of  the  field,  in  rebellion  against  their 
Creator  and  Lord.  He  gives  them  many  good  things 
belonging  to  the  present  life,  and  these  they  employ  in 
sinning  against  him.  He  is  long-suffering  towards 
them,  and  they  become  so  much  the  more  hardened  in 
their  iniquities.  He  condemns,  and,  at  length,  casts 
them  down  under  his  wrath ;  but  the  reason  why  he 
thus  condemns  and  punishes  them,  is  not  his  passing 
by  them  in  the  decree  of  election,  but  their  own  wick- 
edness ;  and  this  wickedness  is  voluntary.  Though  the 
Lord  is  said  to  harden  them,  he  does  so,  only  by  leaving 
them  to  the  power  of  their  own  evil  inclinations ;  by 
not  bestowing  on  them  that  grace  which  softens  the 
heart,  the  giving  of  which  depends  upon  his  sovereign 
pleasure ;  and  by  permitting  snares  and  temptations  to 
stand  in  their  way. — They  sin  without  any  force  com- 
pelling them.  When  the  Lord  gives  up  men  to  their 
own  hearts'  lusts,  they  walk  in  their  own  counsels, 
choosing  and  loving  that  way,  the  end  of  which  is 
death. 


104  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

III.  This  doctrine  we  judge  necessary  to  be  taught 
in  the  church.  As  it  is  of  God,  we  need  not  be  ashamed 
or  afraid  to  avow  it;  and  it  is  profitable  for  all  to  hear  it; 
it  lays  the  axe  to  the  root  of  human  pride,  and  teaches 
us  to  give  the  entire  glory  of  our  salvation  to  God ;  see- 
ing this  salvation  is  not  of  Mm  that  runneth,  nor  of 
him  that  willeth,  hut  of  God  who  showeth  mercy. 
The  elect,  being  called,  and  having  obtained  that  pre- 
cious faith,  the  end  of  which  is  a  perfect  salvation,  may 
know  that  God  hath  loved  them  with  an  everlasting 
love.  And  nothing  will  more  powerfully  and  efi"ectu- 
ally  induce  them  to  love  and  serve  him,  who  has  thus 
chosen  them,  that  they  should  be  holy  and  without 
blame  before  him  in  love,  than  this  knowledge  of  their 
election.  And  others,  who  have  not  this  knowledge, 
can  never,  in  the  present  life,  know  that  they  are  not 
elected ;  and,  therefore,  cannot  justly  plead  that  this 
doctrine  has  any  tendency  to  discourage  them.  If  they 
understand  it,  and  rightly  improve  it,  it  will  have  a 
quite  opposite  effect  on  them.  Some  are  appointed  to 
salvation,  therefore  some  shall  obtain  it ;  and  every  one 
may  say.  Why  not  I  ?     Therefore  I  will  seek  it. 

IV.  If  any  allege,  that  all  things  being  fixed  by  the 
decree  of  God,  they  need  not  use  means ;  the  answer  to 
be  given  to  this  wicked  and  unreasonable  objection  is. 
That  God  hath  indeed  decreed  whatsoever  comes  to 
pass :  all  things  are  as  they  are,  because  he  decreed 
that  so  they  should  be.  This  all  must  confess,  or  find 
out  some  other  first  cause  of  things,  beside  God.  The 
number  of  our  days,  the  hounds  of  our  habitation,  our 
going  out  and  coming  in,  our  lying  down  and  rising 
lip,  with  every  circumstance  of  our  life,  are  all  abso- 
lutely fixed  in  the  eternal  and  unalterable  decree  of 
God.  He  foreknew  all  things,  and  he  foreknew  them, 
because  he  decreed  that  they  should  be ;  yet  the  belief 
of  this  truth  does  not  make  us  neglect  the  use  of  means 


DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY.  105 

for  obtaining  the  ends  we  have  in  view  in  the  ordinary 
business  of  our  stations ;  and  no  more  should  it  make 
us  neglect  to  seek,  in  the  use  of  appointed  means,  sal- 
vation by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  means  and  the 
end  are  inseparably  joined  in  the  decree  of  God ;  seek- 
ing salvation  is  the  way  to  obtain  it;  neglecting  to 
seek  it,  is  the  way  to  destruction. 

y.  We  testify  against  all  who,  denying  that  election 
is  particular,  certairiy  and  wholly  of  graccy  teach.  That 
it  is  general,  of  whosoever  shall  repent  and  believe; 
that  it  is  according  to  the  works  of  men,  Grod  having 
chosen  such  as  he  foresaw  would  distinguish  themselves 
from  the  rest  of  mankind  by  a  better  improvement  of 
the  means  of  grace  ;  and  that  it  is  uncertain,  it  being, 
according  to  the  teachers  of  this  error,  possible  that  the 
elect  may  totally  and  jfinally  apostatize  from  that  faith 
and  holiness,  upon  condition  of  perseverance  in  which, 
it  is  alleged,  they  were  chosen  to  eternal  life. — These 
errors  we  abhor ;  as,  by  asserting  them,  men  deny  God 
the  glory  due  to  his  name,  and  give  it  to  creatures. 
These  errors,  so  flattering  to  human  pride,  but  so  con- 
trary to  the  word  of  God,  began  to  spread  in  the  Re- 
formed churches  about  the  beginning  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. They  have  ever  since  been  working  like  a  deadly 
poison,  less  or  more,  in  all  of  them,  and  have  prevailed 
to  the  great  hurt  of  Christianity,  yea,  almost  to  its  de- 
struction in  some  of  them. 

yi.  We  do  also  testify  against  those  who,  though  they 
do  not  oppose  the  received  doctrine  of  the  Protestant 
churches  concerning  predestination,  yet  allege,  that  it 
is  not  safe  nor  profitable  to  teach  it ;  as  if  men  were 
wiser  than  God ;  as  if  what  he  hath  expressed  in  his 
word  were  to  be  kept  a  secret ;  or  as  if  the  abuse  of  any 
article  of  Scripture  doctrine  were  a  just  reason  for  con- 
cealing it.  The  whole  doctrine  of  the  salvation  of  sin- 
ners by  free  grace,  through  Jesus  Christ,  is  intimately 


106  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

and  inseparably  connected  with  the  decree  of  Grod 
choosing  them  to  salvation,  not  according  to  any  fore- 
seen merit  of  theirs,  but  according  to  his  good  pleasure. 
And  if  this  election  of  grace  is  not  either  plainly 
asserted,  or  considered  as  unquestionably  true,  the  gos- 
pel cannot  be  preached;  these  questions  cannot  be 
asked,  as  a  reproof  to  human  pride,  0  man,  who  maketh 
thee  to  differ  ?  What  hast  thou  which  thou  didst  not 
receive  ?  Now  if  thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost  thou 
glory,  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  .^*  nor  can  that 
song  be  sung  in  the  church, — Not  unto  us,  not  unto 
our  free  will,  not  unto  our  good  inclinations,  hut  unto 
thy  free  grace,  unto  thy  good  will,  0  Lordy  he  the 
glory. 

ARTICLE  IV.     Of  Providence. 

I.  We  believe  that  the  providence  of  God  extendeth 
unto,  and  is  concerned  about,  all  things.  The  Lord 
who  made,  does  also  uphold,  rule,  and,  according  to  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will,  order,  the  whole  universe  :  a 
sparroiv  falls  not  to  the  ground  unnoticed  by  him  :  He 
numhereth  even  the  hairs  of  our  head. 

II.  As  to  what  some  have  called  the  certain  and 
fixed  laws  of  nature,  they  are  no  more  than  the  usual 
methods  by  which  the  Lord  makes  one  thing  instru- 
mental in  effecting  another.  He  works  by  means, 
without  means,  or  contrary  to  ordinary  means,  as  seem- 
eth  good  in  his  sight.  As  to  what  is  called  chance, 
strictly  speaking,  there  is  no  such  thing :  those  events 
which  seem  most  accidental  to  us  are  all  wisely  and 
justly  ordered  by  the  Most  High.  He  puts  down  one, 
and  sets  up  another ;  and  not  only  does  he  raise  up  or 
cast  down  the  mighty,  but  he  takes  notice  of  the  small- 
est things,  he  feeds  the  ravens. 

*  1  Cor.  iv.  7. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  107 

III.  We  do,  therefore,  testify  against  those  who  deny 
a  particular  providence ;  and  against  those  who  teach 
that  the  universe  is  like  a  clock  or  machine,  which  be- 
ing once  set  a-going  by  the  hand  of  its  maker,  requires 
no  more  attention ;  and  who  affirm,  that  the  constitu- 
tion given  to  the  world  in  its  creation,  necessarily  pro- 
duced every  event  and  circumstance  which  have  since 
or  may  afterwards  take  place  in  it,  without  the  least 
concern  or  agency  of  the  Creator.  These  errors  are  so 
plainly  condemned  by  the  whole  doctrine  and  history 
of  the  Scripture,  that  no  one  who  truly  believes  it 
can  be  insnared  by  them.  They  are  not  new  errors ; 
some  of  old  maintained  them,  saying.  The  Lord  will 
not  do  good,  neither  will  he  do  evil ;  The  Lord  seeth 
not,  neither  doth  the  God  of  Jacob  regard  what  is  done. 
And  the  Holy  Spirit  describes  these  persons  as  the 
brutish  among  the  people  ;  more  stupid  than  the  greater 
part  even  of  the  wicked ;  and  concerning  such,  it  is 
threatened,  that  their  insensibility  shall  be  removed  by 
swift  destruction  from  the  Almighty ;  because  they  re- 
gard not  the  icorks  of  the  Lord,  nor  the  operations  of 
his  hands,  he  shall  destroy  them,  and  not  build  them 
up.* 

ARTICLE  V.     Of  the  Covenant  of  Works. 

I.  God,  having  created  man  after  his  own  image, 
capable  of  knowing,  serving,  and  enjoying  him,  gave 
him  a  promise  of  a  blessed  and  eternal  life,  upon  con- 
dition of  his  perfect  obedience  to  the  divine  law,  threat- 
ening death  as  a  just  and  necessary  punishment  of  dis- 
obedience ;  by  which  death  was  meant,  not  only  the 
dissolution  of  his  bodily  frame,  but  everlasting  destruc- 
tion, which  consists  in  being  cast  out  from  the  gra- 
cious presence  of  the  Lord,  and  buried  in  hell  under  his 

*  Psalm  xxviii.  5. 


108      DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY. 

wrath. — The  Lord  made  trial  of  man's  obedience  by  a 
positive  precept,  (and  by  one  which  it  was  very  easy 
to  keep,)  allowing  him  to  eat  of  every  tree  of  the  gar- 
den of  Eden,  where  he  was  placed,  except  the  tree  of 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  intimating  to  him, 
that  in  the  day  he  ate  of  it,  he  should  surely  die ;  a 
threatening  which,  upon  his  transgression,  was  verified, 
he  dying  spiritually  as  soon  as  he  had  sinned,  and  be- 
coming liable  to  death  in  its  utmost  extent.  To  this, 
man  undoubtedly  agreed :  the  Lord  proposed  nothing 
but  what  was  just  and  good;  and  it  was  impossible  for 
man,  in  his  upright  state,  to  hesitate  one  moment  about 
giving  his  consent.  The  words  of  Eve  to  the  serpent, 
at  first  alleging  the  command  of  God  against  eating  the 
forbidden  fruit,  plainly  show,  that  our  first  parents  con- 
sidered themselves  as  under  the  engagement  which  the 
Lord  had  proposed  to  them. 

II.  This  transaction  between  God  and  man  may  be 
called  a  covenant.  There  was  a  promise,  a  condition, 
a  penalty ;  and,  it  cannot  be  denied,  an  agreement  on 
man's  part  to  what  God  proposed.  And  though  the 
life  promised  in  this  covenant  was  a  reward  far  higher 
than  the  obedience  of  any  creature  could  merit ;  yet, 
seeing  the  Lord,  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  pro- 
mised life  as  the  reward  of  man's  obedience,  it  may 
justly  be  called  a  covenant  of  v:orlxS. 

III.  We  also  believe,  that  in  this  covenant,  Adam 
was  the  representative  of  his  posterity,  with  whom  they 
were  to  stand  or  fall,  as  he  stood  or  fell.  Of  this  we 
are  convinced,  by  the  comparison  the  Holy  Spirit 
again  and  again  makes  between  the  first  man,  Adam, 
and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  declaring,  that  as  they  all 
died  in  the  one,  so  were  all  made  alive  in  the  other j 
that  as,  by  the  one,  sin  and  death  entered  into  the 
rcorld,  so,  by  the  other,  righteousness  and  life  entered ; 
and  that,  as,  hy  the  offence  of  the  one  many  were  made 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  109 

sinnei'Sj  so,  bt/  the  obedience  of  the  other j  many  were 
made  righteous;'^  which  can  only  refer  to  the  dying  or 
living,  the  making  sinners,  or  the  making  righteous, 
of  those  whom  each  of  them  did,  as  a  public  person, 
and  as  a  covenant-head,  represent. 

IV.  "We  do,  therefore,  reject  the  opinion  of  those 
who  affirm,  that  there  was  no  covenant  made  with 
Adam,  or  that  he  was  not  the  representative  of  his 
posterity.  This  error  is  designed  to  prepare  the  way 
for  denying  original  sin,  and  thus  perverting  the  whole 
order  of  redemption. 


ARTICLE  VI.     Of  Man  in  lis  Fallen  State. 

I.  "We  acknowledge,  that  though  man  was  made  up- 
right, yet,  being  left  to  act  freely  according  to  his  own 
will,  and  as  a  creature,  being  liable  to  change,  he  trans- 
gressed the  covenant  Grod  had  made  with  him  -,  and  this 
first  man  Adam  being  the  representative  of  his  poste- 
rity, we  sinned  and  fell  in  him,  and  are  now  in  our 
natural  state,  under  the  guilt  of  Adam's  trangression, 
under  the  curse  due  to  it,  and  liable  to  the  eternal  wrath 
threatened  as  its  just  punishment.  By  one  man's  dis- 
obedience many  icere  made  sinners  ;  not  merely  taught 
by  his  example  to  sin,  not  merely  disposed  to  commit 
sin  by  having  a  corrupt  nature  transmitted  from  him  to 
them,  but  made  or  constituted  sinners,  the  guilt  of 
this  one  man,  their  representative,  being  imputed  to 
them,  or  by  the  law  accounted  theirs. 

II,  We  also  acknowledge,  that  we,  being  by  nature 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  are  as  unable  of  ourselves 
to  do  any  work  truly  good  and  acceptable  to  Grod,  as 
those  dead  whom  we  see  laid  in  the  grave,  are  unable 
of  themselves  to  rise  and  perform  the  works  of  the 

*  Rom.  V.  19. 
10 


110  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

living.  This  depravation  of  our  nature  we  confess  to 
be  the  spring  of  all  actual  transgression.  The  tree 
heing  evil,  the  fruit  cannot  be  good;  nor  can  a  corrupt 
fountain  send  forth  any  but  bitter  streams.  Every 
imagination  of  the  heart  of  man,  till  changed  by  grace, 
is  evil,  from  his  youth  evil,  only  evil^  and  continually 
evil;  and  it  must  be  so;  for  who  can  bring  a  clean 
thing  out  of  an  unclean? 

m.  We  do,  moreover,  acknowledge,  that  a  sense  of 
guilt,  working  in  fallen  unrenewed  men  a  fear  of  Grod's 
wrath,  their  wicked  minds  are  filled  with  enmity  against 
him ;  and  the  more  clearly  they  discern  the  holiness  of 
his  law,  the  extent  of  his  commandments,  and  the 
righteous  severity  of  its  threatenings,  this  enmity  of 
the  heart  becomes  the  more  violent.  Thus  the  law, 
which  is  holy,  just,  and  good,  and  which  showed  to  in- 
nocent man  an  attainable  and  a  plain  path  of  life,  is  so 
far  from  leading  fallen  man  to  life,  that  his  corruption 
takes  occasion  from  it  to  work  more  vehemently.  The 
more  closely  and  plainly  the  law  is  urged  on  the  con- 
science, the  more  does  the  rebellion  of  his  heart  against 
God,  the  lawgiver,  display  itself  in  hatred  at  the  holy 
commandment.  The  law  is,  however,  to  be  preached 
to  sinners  along  with  the  gospel.  They  who  continue 
under  it  must  hear  what  it  saith  to  them,  that  they 
may  be  convinced  of  their  inability  to  answer  its  de- 
mands ;  that  they  may  see  how  dreadful  their  condition 
is;  and  that  they,  thus  killed  by  the  law,  may  be 
persuaded  to  listen  to  the  gospel,  which  manifesteth 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour,  as  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  helieveth. 

IV.  We  do  therefore  testify  against  those  who  teach 
that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  original  sin;  or  that,  if 
there  be,  it  consists  only  in  the  want  of  that  righteous- 
ness in  which  man  was  created;  or,  at  most,  in  the  de- 
pravation of  our  nature,  not  in  our  guilt  by  the  impu- 


DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY.  Ill 

tation  of  Adam's  first  transgression  to  us  his  posterity. 
This  error  is  designed  to  prepare  the  way  for  denying 
the  imputation  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  us  for 
our  justification  before  God.  We  also  testify  against 
all  who  teach,  that  we  have  suffered  so  very  little  by 
the  fall,  that  it  is  in  our  own  power,  by  the  help  of  the 
external  means  given  us,  to  repair  our  lossj  and  who 
deny  that  there  is  any  absolute  need  of  the  all-powerful 
influence  of  the  Spirit  and  grace  of  God  to  renew  us, 
and  to  work  in  us  to  will  and  to  do  that  which  is 
well-pleasing  in  his  sight.  Such  we  account  deceivers, 
who  would  leadens  away  from  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord 
who  healeth  us.  We  have  destroyed  ourselves,  hut  in 
him  is  our  help. 

ARTICLE  VII.     Of  the  Obligation  of  the  Covenant  oj 
Works  on  Men  in  their  Natural  State. 

I.  "We  do  also  acknowledge,  as  a  truth  plainly 
taught  in  the  word  of  God,  and  necessarily  connected 
with  what  we  have  already  declared,  that  all  men  in 
their  natural  state  are  under  the  law  given  to  Adam, 
and  under  it  in  the  same  form  in  which  it  was  given  to 
him,  namely,  that  of  a  covenant  of  works.  This  law 
being,  as  to  the  matter  or  substance  of  it,  written  on 
man's  heart  in  creation,  was  afterwards  expressed  in 
the  ten  commandments  given  at  Sinai,  to  put  Israel  in 
mind  of  their  duty;  to  convince  them  of  the  absolute  im- 
possibility of  obtaining  acceptance  before  God  by  their 
obedience,  seeing  they  came  so  far  short  of  what  was 
required;  and  to  excite  them  to  look  by  faith  through 
the  veil  of  the  ceremonies  and  sacrifices  which  God 
then  appointed  in  the  church,  to  the  promised  Messiah, 
the  salvation  of  Israel.  And  this  law  is  the  perpetual 
and  unalterable  rule  of  righteousness,  particularly  of 
the  duty  we  owe  to  God,  and  to  one  another.     Under 


112  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

it,  in  some  form,  all  men  must  be ;  and  men  in  their  na- 
tural state  can  be  under  it  in  no  other  form  than  that  in 
which  they  originally  were  in  their  first  head.  Though 
they  fail  in  their  duty  they  are  still  bound  to  it,  and  bound 
to  it,  under  the  same  penalty  and  threatening  of  death  as 
ever;  the  promise  of  life  still  remains  to  the  man  who  doth 
these  things  which  the  law  requires — heshalllive  hy  them. 
If  any  could  satisfy  the  law  for  their  offences,  and  ful- 
fil whatever  it  commands,  they  would  be  accepted  and 
declared  righteous  by  Grod,  the  lawgiver.  But  no  one 
can  do  this. — By  the  deeds  of  the  law,  that  is,  by  such 
deeds  as  men  are  now  able  to  perform  in  obedience  to 
the  law,  shall  no  flesh  he  justified  in  the  sight  of  God. 

II.  That  men,  in  their  natural  state,  are  universally 
under  a  law,  cannot  be  denied  by  any  who  believe  the 
Scriptures,  in  which  this  is  so  often  and  so  plainly  as- 
serted; and  that  this  is  not  the  ceremonial  law,  nor 
yet  the  moral  law,  merely  as  a  rule  of  righteousness,  is 
no  less  unquestionable.  The  ceremonial  law  extended 
to  the  Jews  only;  it  did  not  stop  every  mouth  nor 
declare  the  whole  world  guilty  before  God.  It  is  said 
concerning  the  law  which  men  in  their  natural  state 
are  under,  that  as  many  as  are  of  its  works,  that  is,  as 
many  as  adhere  to  it,  and  continue  subject  to  it,  are 
under  the  curse.  This  cannot  be  said  of  the  ceremo- 
nial law;  many  who  lived  and  died  under  it  were 
blessed  of  God  and  precious  in  his  sight.  It  never 
brought  any  under  the  curse,  except  when  they,  not 
understanding  the  design  of  it,  adhered  to  it  as  a  part 
of  the  covenant  of  works,  seeking  life  by  their  obedi- 
ence to  it,  not  by  Christ  to  whom  it  directed  them. 
Nor  can  it  be  said,  that  as  many  as  are  under  the  law, 
as  a  rule  of  righteousness,  are  under  the  curse;  if  they 
were,  no  rational  creature  could  be  delivered  from  the 
curse,  without  their  obligation  to  love  and  serve  God 
becoming  void,  which  is  impossible.      Thus  the  law 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  113 

under  which  men  in  their  natural  state  are,  is  neither  a 
new  law  which  God  has  given  them  since  the  fall,  nor 
the  law  given  to  Adam  published  in  any  new  form. 
All  stand  where  he  left  them,  until  they  are  brought 
into  a  new  state  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

III.  It  is  not  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel,  but  the 
receiving  that  salvation  offered  in  it,  which  sets  men 
free  from  the  law  as  a  covenant,  which  may  be  thus  il- 
lustrated :  If  a  creditor  direct  his  debtor  to  a  surety  who 
is  able  and  willing  to  fulfil  his  engagements  for  him, 
yet  if  the  debtor,  though  unable  to  pay,  and  bound  in 
duty  to  follow  the  direction  given  him,  be  so  obstinate 
and  foolish  as  to  refuse  to  employ  the  surety,  he,  in  that 
case,  remains  under  the  same  engagements  as  before : 
it  is  not  the  creditor's  offer  to  deal  with  him  by  a 
surety,  but  the  debtor's  acceptance  of  the  offer,  that 
would  set  him  free.  Moreover,  if  there  is  any  promise 
made  to  this  debtor  of  some  good  thing  which  he  should 
have,  upon  fulfilling  his  engagements,  still  upon  the 
performance  of  the  condition,  it  would  become  due  to 
him.  It  is  our  duty  to  lay  hold  on  the  covenant  of 
grace,  which  the  Lord  proclaims  to  us;  but  if  we  refuse, 
we  thereby  avow  our  adherence  to  the  covenant  of 
works,  declaring  that  we  will  seek  life  according  to  it 
only.  Thus,  to  the  unbelieving,  the  obligation  of  the 
covenant  of  works  is  far  from  being  made  void  by  the 
revelation  of  the  covenant  of  grace. 

IV.  We  do,  therefore,  reject  the  opinion  of  those  who 
teach,  that  men,  in  their  natural  state,  are  not  under  the 
same  covenant  made  with  Adam,  and  debtors  to  do  the 
whole  law.  The  design  of  this  error  is,  first,  to  pre- 
pare the  way  for  denying  the  satisfaction  of  Christ;  and, 
next,  for  introducing,  into  the  place  of  the  gospel,  a  new 
law  prescribing  terms  of  acceptance  with  Grod,  which 
are  said  to  be  easier  and  better  adapted  to  our  fallen 
state  than  those  of  the  first  covenant.     And  we  main- 

10* 


114  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

tain  that  the  Lord  never  did,  nor  ever  will,  accommo- 
date his  law  to  the  sinful  weakness  of  men;  it  being 
inconsistent  with  his  holy  nature  to  require  less  than  a 
perfect  obedience,  or  a  loving  him  with  all  the  heart, 
and  soul,  and  mind,  and  strength,  and  our  neighbour 
as  ourselves.  And  besides,  no  accommodation  of  God's 
law  to  our  weakness  would  avail,  since  our  endeavours 
in  our  fallen  state  to  keep  the  least  of  God's  command- 
ments are  attended  with  such  imperfections,  as,  in 
themselves,  deserve  eternal  death 

ARTICLE  VIII.     Of  the  Suretyship  and  Satisfaction  of 
Christ. 

I.  We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ,  our  surety,  was 
made  under  the  law  which  Adam  broke,  and  which 
all  men  in  their  natural  state  are  under,  otherwise 
it  could  not  be  said  that  he  was  made  under  the  law 
to  redeem  them  who  are  under  the  law  ;'^  he  came 
not  only,  or  chiefly,  to  redeem  the  Jews  from  the 
burden  of  the  ceremonial  law,  but  to  redeem  both 
Jews  and  Gentiles  from  the  curse  of  that  law  or 
covenant  of  works,  which  extends  to  all  the  human 
race  in  their  natural  state,  and  condemns  them  all 
to  death;  they  being,  without  exception,  transgressors 
of  it.  The  Gentiles  were,  in  no  sense,  under  the 
ceremonial  law.  But  Christ  was  made  under  the 
law,  and  made  a  curse  for  all  whom  he  redeemed, 
that  he  might  redeem  them  all  from  the  curse  of 
the  law;  without  an  interest  in  which  redemption 
neither  Jews  nor  Gentiles  could  receive  the  adoption 
of  sons. 

II.  Farther,  as  those  whom  our  Lord  Jesus  repre- 
sented owed  both  a  debt  of  obedience  and  of  suffering, 
neither  of  which  they  were  able  to  pay,  he,  accord- 

•  Gal.  iv.  4,  5. 


DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY.  115^ 

ing  to  his  engagement,  paid  both  for  them.  It  be- 
came him  to  fulfil  all  righteousness  in  the  place  of 
his  people.  All  that  was  required,  he,  as  their 
surety,  performed.  He  left  no  one  demand,  which 
the  law-covenant  had  upon  them,  unanswered.  Thus 
all  he  did  and  suffered  from  the  time  he  was  made 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  till  he  yielded  up  his  spirit  on 
the  cross,  was  done  and  suffered,  not  merely  on  our 
account,  or  for  our  good,  but  in  our  placcy  by  him  as 
our  representative  and  surety;  and  his  whole  righteous- 
ness, consisting  in  his  obedience  even  unto  death, 
is  imputed  to  believers  for  their  justification  before 
Grod;  that  is,  it  is  accounted  theirs  as  much  as  if 
they  had  performed  it  in  their  own  persons.  As, 
among  men,  the  payment  of  a  debt  by  a  surety  is  ac- 
counted by  the  law  his  payment  for  whom  it  was 
made;  so  Christ,  by  his  obedience  unto  death,  ob- 
tained for  us  not  merely  deliverance  from  wrath,  but 
a  heavenly  inheritance,  with  all  the  blessings  we  need 
to  render  us  meet  for  it,  or  to  bring  us  forward  to  the 
enjoyment  of  it.  In  him  we  are  complete;  he  is  made 
of  God  to  ns  wisdom^  righteousness ,  sanctification,  and 
redemption.^ 

III.  Believing  that  this  is  the  doctrine  taught  in  the 
Scriptures  of  truth,  and  that  the  very  existence  of  the 
Christian  church  depends  upon  holding  it  fast,  and  im- 
proving it,  in  drawing  nigh  unto  God  as  reconciled  to 
us  in  Christ,  we  testify  against  the  following  errors: 
First,  That  whatever  Christ  did  and  suffered,  was  in- 
deed on  our  account,  and  for  our  good,  in  as  much  as 
thereby  he  set  us  an  example  of  holiness  and  patience, 
and  attested  to  us  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  he  taught, 
by  dying  for  it ;  but  that  he  did  not  obey  and  suffer  in 
our  place,  and  as  our  surety.  This  error  manifestly 
contradicts  the  Scripture,  which  assures  us,  that  Christ 
*  1  Cor.  i.  30. 


116  DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY. 

came  to  give  Ms  life  a  ransom  for  many ;  that  lie  is  a 
propitiation  for  our  sins;  and  that,  he,  the  Just,  suffered 
for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  unto  God.  It 
degrades  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  the  character  of 
a  saviour  to  that  of  an  eminent  teacher,  and  places  him 
on  a  level  with  the  prophets,  apostles,  and  other  ser- 
vants of  God;  who  did  also,  in  their  lives,  set  us  an  ex- 
ample of  holiness  and  patience,  though  not  perfect,  like 
that  of  Christ,  and  attested  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  they 
taught,  by  dying  as  witnesses  for  it.  Thus,  what  they 
did  and  suffered  was  on  account  of  the  church,  and  for 
its  good :  but  never  any  of  them  were,  what  Christ  is, 
the  Saviour  of  the  church.  Secondly,  That  Christ 
made  a  perfect  satisfaction  for  none,  but  a  general  satis- 
faction for  all ',  in  consequence  of  which  Grod,  though 
fully  reconciled  to  none,  is  willing  to  be  reconciled  to 
all  or  any  who  come  to  the  terms  of  that  which  the 
teachers  of  this  error  call  the  new  law,  or  gospel  cove- 
nant; but  which  may,  with  greater  propriety,  be  called 
a  new  covenant  of  works  devised  by  men,  but  utterly 
unknown  in  the  revelation  which  Grod  has  given  us  of 
his  will.  Thirdly,  That  the  satisfaction  which  Christ 
made  for  us,  consisted  wholly  in  his  sufferings,  not  in 
his  active  obedience  to  the  law.  The  Scriptures  make 
no  such  distinction;  therefore  we  reject  all  opinions 
founded  upon  it,  as  doctrines  of  men.  Christ  was 
made  under  the  law,  not  for  himself,  but  solely  for  us ; 
He  is  said  to  have  taken  our  infirmities  upon  himself, 
and  to  have  home  our  sickness,  while,  in  his  active  obe- 
dience to  the  law,  he  was  serving  God,  and  doing  of- 
fices of  kindness  to  mankind  in  healing  their  diseases. 
If  his  death  is  sometimes  mentioned  as  expressing  the 
whole  of  what  he  did  for  us,  it  is  because  it  was  the 
most  remarkable  and  finishing  part  of  his  obedience. 
He  did  not  merely  take  away  our  sins,  but  by  his  per- 
fect righteousness,  comprehending  his  conformity  to  the 


DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY.  117 

law,  in  nature,  heart,  and  life,  he  obtained  that  we  should 
live  and  reign  with  him;  less  than  this  could  not  have 
removed  the  curse,  and  opened  the  path  of  life  to  us. 


ARTICLE  IX.     Of  the  Extent  of  Eedemptim. 

I.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  a  representative  and 
surety  for  the  elect  only :  he  died  for  them  only,  and 
for  none  else  in  any  respect;  and  all  for  whom  he  died 
shall  infallibly  be  saved.  God  is  just,  and  will  not  re- 
quire double  payment  for  the  same  debt :  had  satisfac- 
tion been  made  by  Christ  for  the  sins  of  all  men,  none 
would  have  perished  under  the  curse :  death,  the  wages 
of  sin,  would  not  have  been  due  to  any,  if  Christ  had 
suffered  it  for  the  whole  human  race.  Our  Lord  Jesus 
himself  tells  us,  that  he  laid  down  his  life  for  his  sheep; 
that  he  knew  ivho  they  were;  that  they  should  all  hear 
his  voice,  that  is,  acknowledge  him  as  the  good  shep- 
herd of  their  souls;  that  he  would  give  them  eternal 
life;  and  that  they  should  7iever  perish ;  nor  any  pluck 
them  out  of  his  hand.^  He  also  declares,  that  they 
icere  given  him  hy  the  Father,  adding,  that  all  who 
were  thus  given  him  should  certainly  come  to  him. 
Nothing  can  be  more  evident  than  that  these  assertions 
of  our  Lord  concerning  his  sheep,  express  what  is  pe- 
culiar to  a  chosen  number,  and  not  what  is  applicable 
to  the  whole  of  mankind. 

XL  God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that, 
tohile  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  ws.f  And 
shall  that  love  have  no  farther  effects  on  those  for  whom 
Christ  died  ?  Another  text  may  serve  as  an  answer  to 
that  question :  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  de- 
livered him  up  for  us  all,  hoio  shall  he  not  with  him 
also  freely  give  us  all  things  .^J     Yes,  surely  he  will 

*  John  X.  27,  28.         f  Rom.  v.  8.         %  Rom.  viii.  32. 


118  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

send  the  Holy  Spirit  to  put  us  in  possession  of  the  be- 
nefits which  flow  from  the  death  of  Christ.  That  free 
love  which  gave  Christ  to  die  for  sinners,  will  make 
all  for  whom  he  died,  through  the  gift  of  his  righteous- 
ness, and  through  the  communication  of  his  quickening 
Spirit,  to  reign  in  life  by  him,  and  with  him;  for  if, 
when  they*ioere  enemies,  they  were  reconciled  to  God  hy 
the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled ,  they 
shall  he  saved  hy  his  life.^ 

III.  When  Christ  is  said  to  have  died  for  all,  and 
to  be  a  propitiation  for  the  lohole  world,  these  expres- 
sions are  to  be  understood  in  a  limited  sense,  (as  they 
most  certainly  are  to  be  understood  in  other  passages 
of  Scripture,)  not  as  signifying  that  Christ  died  for 
every  individual  of  mankind,  or  for  every  man  in  the 
whole  world,  but  that  he  died  for  all  the  elect;  for  the 
whole  world  of  the  redeemed;  for  all  of  every  nation, 
kindred,  and  language,  who  belong  to  the  election  of 
grace ;  and  that  Grod  hath  set  him  forth  to  be  a  propi- 
tiation, through  faith  in  his.  blood,  to  sinners  of  every 
description.  We  do  not  wrest  the  Scripture,  while  we 
thus  explain  what  is  more  obscure  in  some  texts,  by 
others  where  the  matter  in-question  is  more  expressly 
taught. 

IV.  Election,  redemption,  intercession,  and  eternal 
salvation,  are  inseparable,  and  of  equal  extent.  He  who 
has  an  interest  in  any  one  of  these,  has  an  interest  in 
the  whole. — Christ's  dying  for  sinners,  is  a  manifesta- 
tion of  his  love  to  them,  which  had  no  beginning  and 
will  have  no  end.  We  do,  therefore,  testify  against 
those  who  teach,  that,  though  Christ  died,  in  a  spe- 
cial manner,  for  those  who  are  saved,  yet  he  died  in 
some  sense,  for  those  loho  perish.  The  Scripture 
makes  no  such  distinction :  the  some  sense,  which  they 
plead  for,  has  either  no  meaning,  or  else  leads  to  other 

•  Rom.  V.  10. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  119 

dangerous  errors.  We  do  also  testify  against  the  more 
common  error  of  those  who  teach,  that  the  death  of 
Christ  was  not  particularly  intended  for  the  redemption 
of  any ;  but  that  the  design  of  his  death  was  to  render 
salvation  equally  attainable  to  all.  This  error,  like 
others,  is  designed  to  prepare  the  way  for  that  scheme 
of  doctrine,  whereby  men  are  taught,  that  the  power 
of  believing,  repenting,  and  yielding  sincere  obedience, 
having,  by  the  death  of  Christ,  been  obtained  for  all, 
God  will  save  them  upon  condition  of  their  duly  exer- 
cising that  power.  Thus,  that  error  proves  a  removing 
from  the  gi-ace  of  Christ  to  another  gospel,  which  is 
not  indeed  the  gospel,  but  bears  so  much  of  a  resem- 
blance to  it,  as  may  deceive  the  simple. 

V.  We  do  also  reject  the  opinion  of  those  who  teach, 
that  Christ  did,  by  his  death,  purchase  the  benefits  of 
this  life,  which  are  common  to  all  men.  For  all  the 
blessings  purchased  by  Christ,  are  of  that  nature,  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  only  can  make  us  partakers  of  them ; 
and  they  can  be  actively  received  by  faith  only,  and 
they  are  ever  described  as  such  in  the  Scriptures. 
The  common  benefits  of  life  are,  we  believe,  given  to 
the  reprobate,,  as  meat,  drink,  and  clothing  are  given  to 
criminals,  lying  under  sentence  of  death,  not  to  be  put 
in  execution  till  an  appointed  time.  With  regard  to 
the  elect,  God  preserves  them  in  life,  though  wicked, 
and  abusers  of  his  common  bounty,  till  the  time  of  their 
conversion;  and  then  being  brought  into  his  covenant 
of  grace,  as  his  blessing  rests  on  them,  so  what  provi- 
sion they  need  for  their  outward  state  is  given  to  them 
as  to  children,  free  from  that  curse  which  is  upon  the 
basket  and  store  of  the  loiched;  and  thus  all  the  good 
that  is  in  these  benefits  to  believers,  flows  from  the 
death  of  Christ;  the  same  provision  might  have  been 
given  them,  though  he  had  never  died  for  them;  but 


120  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

not  with  the  same  gracious  design  of  the  giver,  nor  with 
the  same  blessing  attending  it  to  them.* 


ARTICLE  X.    Of  the  Gospel,  and  of  the  Difference  between 
it  and  the  Law. 

I.  We  declare  that  the  gospel,  in  the  strict  sense  of 
the  word,  contains  no  commands  nor  threatenings,  be- 
ing only  a  promise  of  grace  to  sinners  through  Jesus 
Christ,  or  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  whereby  Grod  pro- 
claims to  us,  that  he  hath  sent  his  Son  to  save  us;  that 
whosoever  helieveth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life;  and 
shall  7iot  come  i7ito  condemnation ;  and  that  everyone 
is  warranted  to  believe  on  him,  he  being  come  to  save 

*  As  an  elucidation  of  this  article,  the  following  is  sub- 
joined, which  was  proposed  in  1822  to  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Synod  as  a  substitute  for  the  above, — "We  declare 
also,  that  Christ  has  obtained  complete  and  eternal  redemp- 
tion for  his  people.  He  has  by  his  obedience  to  the  death 
secured  to  them  every  spiritual  blessing.  *  Blessed  be  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  who  hath  blessed 
us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
.Tesus:'  it  is  through  his  blood  that  they  obtain  pardon  of  sin, 
and  a  title  to  eternal  life,  in  their  justification.  It  is  through 
his  blood  that  they  obtain  sanctification,  perseverance  in 
grace  and  eternal  glory.  Being  united  to  Christ,  the  divine 
blessing  rests  on  all  their  temporal  enjoyments.  They  re- 
ceive and  enjoy  the  bounties  of  Providence  under  the  divine 
favour.  The  curse  which  is  on  the  basket  and  store  of  the 
wicked,  is  through  Christ  graciously  removed  from  theirs. 
The  good  creatures  of  God  are  sanctified  to  their  use  by  the 
word  of  God  and  prayer — and  it  is  through  Chi'ist  that  the 
enjoyment  of  temporal  blessings  is  made  subservient  to  their 
spiritual  good  and  to  the  glory  of  God.  At  the  same  time, 
temporal  enjoyments  themselves,  such  as  food  and  raiment, 
in  their  earthly  and  perishing  nature,  and  as  the  means  of 
supporting  animal  life,  are  not  to  be  considered  as  procured 
by  the  death  of  Christ." 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  121 

sinners;  the  chief  oi  whom  applying  to  him  need  not 
fear  that  he  will  reject  them. 

II.  All  commands  belong  to  the  law;  those  which 
enjoin  faith,  repentance,  and  other  duties  peculiar  to 
men  under  a  dispensation  of  grace,  not  excepted.  Dis- 
obedience to  these  commands  is  a  sin  which  the  law 
condemns :  this  it  could  not  do,  if  they  did  not  belong 
to  it;  for  where  there  is  no  law,  there  is  no  transgres- 
sion. Neither  do  these  commands  belong  to  any  new 
law  given  since  the  fall.  New  revelations  have  been 
made  to  men,  and  duties  have  been  required  of  them, 
agreeably  to  the  Lord's  dispensation  towards  them, 
and  agreeably  to  the  circumstances  in  which  they  stood, 
as  fallen  and  guilty,  or  as  redeemed  and  saved ;  but  no 
new  law  has  been  given  them,  for  the  first  was  perfect, 
and  required  obedience  to  God  in  all  things  and  for 
ever.  The  law  given  to  Adam  enjoined  every  duty 
required  of  us  now,  in  as  much  as  it  bound  him  and  his 
posterity  to  believe  not  only  what  Grod  had  then  re- 
vealed, but  every  thing  which  he  might  afterwards  re- 
veal; and  to  obey  not  only  what  God  had  then  com- 
manded, but  every  thing  which  he  might  afterwards 
command, 

III.  The  law  is  subservient  to  the  gospel,  and  there- 
fore to  be  preached  along  with  it.  By  the  laio  is  the 
knoidedge  of  sin.  It  is  useful  for  convincing  sinners 
that  they  need  salvation.  It  is  useful  for  showing  be- 
lievers what  they  deserve,  and  what  they  owe  to  God, 
rich  in  mercy,  who  sent  forth  his  Son  made  under  the 
law  to  redeem  them  from  its  curse.  It  is  useful  for 
teaching  all,  what  fear,  love  and  service,  the  Lord  re- 
quires of  them.  When  our  Lord  gave  his  apostles  a 
commission  to  go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel,  he  intended  that  they  should  preach  every  arti- 
cle of  revealed  truth,  the  design  of  the  whole  being 

11 


122  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

the  same,  namely,  to  lead  sinners  to  him  for  that  salva- 
tion which  they  so  much  need,  and  to  show  them  how, 
having  received  it,  they  should  walk  worthy  of  the 
Lord  unto  all  pleading,  heing  fruitful  in  every  good 
work,  that  he  may  he  glorified  in  them  and  by  them. 
All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
pj'of  table  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 
instruction  in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  Tnay 
be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works. 
Thus,  every  article  of  scripture-truth,  being  intimately 
connected  with  the  gospel,  and  subservient  to  it,  the 
whole  may  be,  and  justly  is  called  the  gospel;  yet  the 
law,  taken  by  itself,  is  not  the  gospel,  but  is  distinct 
from  it.  It  is  necessary  to  observe  this  distinction, 
lest  we  confound  things  that  are  so  extremely  opposite 
to  one  another. 

IV.  Though  the  law  be  taught,  as  it  is  expressed  in 
the  word  of  God,  yet  if  the  design  for  which  it  is  there 
recorded  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  neglected ;  if  men  are 
directed  to  seek  eternal  life  by  their  obedience  to  it, 
and  not  warned  to  flee  from  it  as  a  covenant  of  works, 
to  Christ  the  Saviour,  the  gospel  is  by  such  teachers 
thrust  out  of  the  church :  to  them  who  receive  such 
doctrine,  Christ  is  become  of  none  effect;  seeking  justi- 
fication by  the  law,  they  avow  an  opposition  to  the 
grace  of  God  manifested  in  him. 

V.  We  testify,  particularly,  against  those  who  teach 
that  the  gospel  is  a  new  law,  having  commands  and 
threatenings  peculiar  to  itself,  and  distinct  from  those 
which  belong  to  the  law  given  to  Adam.  This  error 
subverts  both  the  law  and  the  gospel — the  law,  as  it 
puts  an  imperfect  law  in  the  place  of  that  holy  law 
which  God  hath  given  us,  and  an  imperfect  obedience 
in  the  place  of  that  perfect  righteousness  which  his  law 
requires — the  gospel,  as,  according  to  the  teachers  of 
this  error,  it  is  no  more  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  free 


DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY.  123 

grace  of  God,  but  a  new  law  of  works,  prescribing  con- 
ditions to  be  performed  by  men,  upon  the  performance 
of  which  they  may  claim  eternal  life  as  a  reward  not 
of  grace,  hut  of  debt.  If  salvation  is  of  works,  then  it 
is  no  more  of  grace,  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace: 
but  if  it  be,  as  it  verily  is,  of  grace,  then  it  is  no  more 
of  works,  otherwise  work  is  no  more  woi'k.^  These 
two  ways  of  seeking  salvation  are  opposite  to  one  an- 
other; there  is  no  reconciling  them.  If  our  works  are 
in  any  degree  the  procuring  cause  of  salvation,  that 
distinguishing  grace  of  God  which  plucks  some  brands 
out  of  the  burning,  while  others  are  left  to  perish,  has 
no  share  in  it. 


ARTICLE  XI.     Of  the  universal  Offer  of  Salvation  made 
in  the  Gospel. 

I.  We  believe  that  a  free  and  unlimited  offer  is  made, 
of  salvation  through  Christ,  to  all  who  hear  the  gospel ; 
and  that  this  offer  is  not  made  upon  a  supposition  of 
Christ's  having  died  for  all  mankind,  but  by  virtue  of 
the  commission  which  God  has  given  to  preach  the 
go^el  to  every  creature  ;'\  that  is,  to  every  sinner  of  the 
human  race,  without  exception.  To  preach  the  gospel 
is  to  proclaim  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  as  a  mes- 
sage from  God  to  fallen  men.  It  is  to  tell  them,  that 
salvation  is  sent  to  them ;  that  all  things  are  ready : 
here  is  a  Saviour  for  them ;  forgiveness  of  sins  for  them, 
eternal  life  for  them:  all  a  free  gift;  which  the  most 
vile  and  unworthy  may,  without  hesitation,  and  with- 
out fear  of  presumption,  instantly  receive  and  claim  as 
theirs.  Farther,  sinners  are  to  be  told,  that  it  is  vain 
for  them  to  delay,  thinking  they  shall  make  some  bet- 
ter preparations  for  coming  to  Christ.     He  requires 

*  Rom.  xi.  6.  f  Mark  xvi.  15. 


124  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

them  to  come  guilty  and  vile  as  they  are ;  he  receiveth 
such.  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  ac- 
ceptation, that  he  came  to  save  sinners.  Moreover,  all 
such  attempts  of  sinners  to  make  themselves  better,  do 
not  only  fail  of  success,  but  while  they  delay  coming 
to  Christ  the  roll  of  their  iniquities  is  increasing;  they 
are  resisting  the  counsel  of  God;  and  are  every  moment 
in  danger  of  hell ;  destruction  is  hanging  over  their 
heads,  and  may  fall  on  them  in  an  hour  when  they 
think  not  of  it.  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned 
already,  and  the  ivrath  of  God  abideth  on  him.* 

II.  If  any  object.  That  seeing  some  were  before  or- 
dained to  condemnation,  were  not  redeemed  by  the 
death  of  Christ,  and  shall  never  believe,  how  then  shall 
any  man  know  whether  the  Lord  intends  him  in  the 
universal  offer  of  salvation  ?  The  answer  to  be  given 
is,  the  Lord  intends  all  who  hear  the  gospel,  in  telling 
them  what  is  their  duty :  This  is  the  work  of  God; 
the  work  which  he  commands  and  approves;  that  loe 
helieve  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent.-\  It  is  also  a  truth, 
that  whosoever  helieveth,  shall  he  saved.  As  to  secret 
things,  they  belong  to  the  Lord  our  God,  but  those 
things  which  are  revealed,  to  us.\  Never  did  any 
man  accept  this  offer  from  an  assurance  given  him  be- 
fore he  accepted  it,  that  he  was  ordained  to  life;  for 
of  this  no  one  can  be  assured  till  it  be  made  manifest 
by  his  faith.  On  the  other  hand,  never  did  any  man 
reject  this  offer,  from  an  assurance  given  him  before  he 
rejected  it,  that  he  was  ordained  to  condemnation ;  for 
of  this  no  one  can  be  assm-ed,  till  he  is  cast  into  that 
prison,  out  of  which  there  is  no  redemption.  They 
who  refuse  the  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel,  are  not 
moved  to  refuse  it  from  this  consideration,  that  they  are 


*  John  iii.  18,  36.         f  John  vi.  29.         %  Deut.  xxix.  29. 


DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY.  125 

not  elected,  or  that  Christ  died  not  for  them ;  since  this 
is  what  they  do  not  know.  But  they  are  moved  to  re- 
fuse it,  by  the  enmity  of  their  hearts  against  God;  par- 
ticularly by  their  deep-rooted  aversion  to  salvation  by 
free  grace,  through  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave  himself  for 
us,  that  he  might  redeem  men  from  all  iniquity.  To 
be  saved  by  grace  is  displeasing  to  their  pride;  to  be 
saved  unto  holiness  is  displeasing  to  their  carnality. 
They  are  also  moved  to  reject  this  salvation,  through 
that  ignorance  of  it  which  prevails  in  all  the  haters  of 
it.  They  are  not  careful  to  understand  what  they  de- 
spise; and  they  are  not  of  themselves  able  to  learn. 
The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God;  they  arc  foolishness  to  him;  neither  can  he 
hnow  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."^ 
Thus,  none  perish  who  hear  the  gospel,  but  through 
their  own  positive  rejection  of  the  counsel  of  God:  it  is 
not  because  Christ  will  not  receive  them,  but  because 
they  will  not  come  to  him,  that  they  fail  of  obtaining 
salvation.  No  man,  says  our  Lord,  can  come  unto  me, 
except  the  Father  who  hath  sent  me  draw  him.f  But 
why  can  no  man  come?  What  stands  in  the  way? 
Nothing.  The  way  is  open;  but  none,  of  themselves, 
are  willing  to  come.  The  complaint  our  Lord  brought 
against  the  Jews,  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye 
might  have  life,\  lies  against  all  men,  acting  according 
to  their  natural  principles  and  inclinations.  Comparing 
the  texts  now  mentioned,  it  is  manifest  that  our  inabi- 
lity to  come  to  Christ,  or  in  other  words  to  accept  the 
offer  of  salvation,  arises  from  the  blindness  and  per- 
verseness  of  our  own  minds.  The  consideration  of  these 
things  should  humble  us,  and  put  us  on  our  guard  against 
casting  the  blame  of  our  unbelief  on  God.  Are  some 
ordained  to  condemnation?  Let  us  therefore  fear,  lest 
a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  God's  resty 
*  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  f  John  vi.  44.  %  John  v.  40. 
11* 


126  DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY. 

any  of  us  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it,  through  un- 
helief.^  If  we  lay  hold  on  the  promise  of  Grod,  which 
is  declared  as  a  ground  of  faith  to  all,  in  the  gospel,  we 
shall  not  find  ourselves  left  out  of  the  number  ordained 
to  eternal  life.  Sim  that  cometh  to  me,  says  our  Lord 
Jesus,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.f 

III.  That  the  offer  of  salvation  is  to  all  who  hear 
the  gospel,  will  be  found  a  truth  by  those  who  reject 
it.  The  Lord  is  now  saying  to  them,  Ye  will  not  come 
unto  me,  that  ye  may  have  life.  Yet  a  little  while,  and 
to  those  who  persevere  in  their  obstinacy  he  will  say, 
Ye  would  not  come  to  me :  Ye  had  an  offer  made  you ; 
I  called,  hut  ye  refused.  Ye  would  have  none  of  me; 
therefore  I  do  not  acknowledge  you  as  mine;  depart 
from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity.  Such  will  be  con- 
demned, because  they  helieved  not  on  the  name  of  the 
Son  of  God.  This  would  make  no  part,  far  less  the 
chief  part,  of  the  charge  against  them,  if  they  had  not 
been  called  to  believe  on  his  name. 

IV.  The  Lord,  in  calling  sinners  to  receive  salvation, 
makes  no  exception  of  any  class  of  them.  He  says  to 
the  stout-hearted  and  far  from  righteousness,  Hearken 
unto  me,  I  bring  near  my  righteousness,  and  my  sal- 
vation shall  not  tarry.  He  says  to  the  foolish,  who 
are  spending  their  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread, 
and  their  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not.  Incline 
your  ear,  and  come  unto  me :  hear,  and  your  soul  shall 
live;  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  ivith 
you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David.^  The  Lord 
Christ,  who  is  still  speaking  from  heaven,  is  saying  to 
those  who,  like  the  unbelieving  Jews,  are  remarkable 
for  their  insensibility.  My  Father  giveth  you  the  true 
bread  from  heaven;^  and  to  the  lukewarm  and  proud, 
as  he  did  to  the  Laodiceans,  I  counsel  you  to  buy  of 

*  Heb.  iv.  1.         t  John  vi.  37.         %  Isa.  Iv.  2,  3. 
I  John  vi.  32. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  127 

■me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  ye  may  he  rich;  white 
raiment,  that  ye  may  he  clothed  ;  and  anoint  your  eyes 
with  eye-salve,  that  ye  m,ay  see;*  ye  are  wretched, 
and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked,  and 
know  not  that  ye  are  so;  take  all  of  me  as  a  free 
gift :  Whosoever  will,  let  him  com£,  and  take  of  the 
water  of  life  freely. ^  His  call  does  not  find  men 
willing,  but  his  Spirit  and  grace,  accompanying  it, 
make  them  so.  He  speaks  to  the  dead;  and  his  glory 
is  manifested  in  this,  that  his  voice  awakeneth  to 
life :  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that 
hear  shall  live.\ 

V.  It  is  a  truth,  that  none  will  ever  believe  in 
Christ  till  they  are  so  far  convinced  of  their  sins  as  to 
be  persuaded  that  they  need  salvation  from  them. 
They  who  think  they  are  whole,  will  also  think  that 
they  need  no  physician.  Their  insensibiUty,  however, 
does  by  no  means  render  them  improper  objects  of 
that  call ;  which,  through  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  is 
useful  to  awake  them ;  nor  does  it  lessen  the  obligation 
they  are  under,  by  the  divine  command,  to  helieve  on 
the  name  of  Christ  Jesus. 

VI.  We  testify  against  those  who  teach  that  the  offer 
of  salvation,  in  the  gospel,  is  made  to  none  but  awa- 
kened and  penitent  sinners;  especially  against  those  who 
teach  that  it  is  men's  repentance,  their  desires  of  salva- 
tion, or  some  other  supposed  good  thing  in  them,  that 
gives  them  a  right,  or,  as  some  speak,  qualifies  them  to 
come  to  Christ;  and  that  sinners  must  not  come  to 
Christ,  nor  be  exhorted  to  come  to  him,  till  they  be 
prepared  for  receiving  him.  The  teachers  of  this 
error  contradict  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God, 
which  directs  us  to  come  to  him,  as  the  diseased  did 
in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  that  we  may  he  healed ;  not 

•  Rev.  iii.  18.         f  Rev.  xxii.  17.         %  John  v.  25. 


128  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

first  to  heal  ourselves,  and  then  to  come  to  him.  Men 
deceive  themselves,  imagining  they  have  come  to 
Christ,  while  they  are  yet  far  from  him :  and  it  is  ne- 
cessary, in  preaching  the  gospel,  to  lay  open  their  de- 
ceit, and  to  warn  them  of  their  danger;  but  surely 
they  cannot  fly  too  speedily  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  oa 
the  hope  set  hefore  them. 

ARTICLE   XII.     Of  the  Condition  of  ike  Covenant  of 
Grace. 

I.  We  believe,  that  the  new  covenant,  otherwise 
called  the  covenant  of  grace,  being  made  with  Christ, 
as  the  representative  and  surety  of  the  elect,  the  con- 
dition of  it  was  his  perfect  obedience  to  all  that  the  law 
required  of  him  in  that  character.  Now  the  law  re- 
quired, that  its  precepts  should  be  obeyed ;  that  satis- 
faction should  be  made  for  the  transgressions  com- 
mitted against  it;  and  that  both  this  obedience  and 
satisfaction  should  proceed  from  a  willing  mind,  from 
pure  love  to  God,  and  from  a  supreme  regard  to  his 
glory.  Thus  the  condition  of  that  covenant  is  justly 
said  to  be  the  righteousness  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  law  required  righteousness  of  heart,  righteousness 
of  life,  and  righteousness  in  satisfying  for  offences :  and 
he  answered  all  its  demands  in  the  place  of  those  whom 
he  represented :  to  them  this  covenant,  therefore,  consists 
of  only  free  and  gracious  promises.  When  God  brings 
the  elect  actually  into  this  covenant,  no  condition  is  re- 
quired to  give  them  a  right  to  the  blessings  of  it :  he  says 
to  them,  1  will  be  your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people: 
and  he  powerfully  moves  their  hearts  to  say.  Amen,  Be 
it,  0  Lord,  according  to  thy  word;  Behold  we  come  to 
thee;  we  trust  in  thee,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God. 
The  faith  by  which  they  so  speak,  and  by  which  they 
take  hold  of  this  covenant  is  not,  and  cannot  properly 
be  called  a  condition  of  it :  only  there  is  such  necessary 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  129 

connexion  between  faith  and  salvation,  as  there  is  be- 
tween the  receiving  and  enjoying  of  a  gift.  Faith, 
which  is  expressed  in  the  Scripture,  by  taking,  re- 
ceiving,  and  other  such  designations,  is  itself  the  gift 
of  G-od,  is  wrought  in  the  heart  by  his  Holy  Spirit, 
and  is  exercised  only  as  the  Spirit  strengthens  us.  He 
does  not  give  us  a  certain  degree  of  power  enabling  us 
to  believe,  and  then  leave  us  to  improve  that  power  the 
best  way  we  can.  No.  He  is  the  author  and  finishef)' 
of  faith;  the  beginning,  the  exercise,  and  the  increase 
of  it,  are  all  from  him ;  it  is  the  effect  of  his  grace,  and 
the  work  of  his  Spirit.  The  promise  of  faith  belongs 
to  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  Surely j  shall  one  say, 
in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness,  and  in  him  have  I 
strength.^  A  willing  people  shall  come  to  him,,  namely, 
believe  on  him,  in  the  day  of  his  power.  If  faith  were 
not  comprehended  in  the  promise,  let  the  other  bless- 
ings contained  in  it  be  ever  so  great  and  manifold,  they 
would  signify  nothing  to  us,  they  being  suspended  on 
a  condition  which  we  are  not  able  to  perform :  for  no 
man  can  believe,  except  it  he  given  him  from  above. 

II.  We  reckon  it  improper  to  speak  of  faith  as  being, 
on  our  part,  the  condition  of  the  new  covenant.  Good 
men  who  meant  no  prejudice  to  the  doctrine  of  free 
grace  have  called  it  so.  We  would  not,  however,  do 
any  honour  to  their  memory  by  adhering  to  their  lan- 
guage in  this  matter,  seeing  it  is  liable  to  be,  and  ac- 
tually is,  used  to  subvert  the  truth.  The  believing 
sinner  gives  nothing,  offers  nothing  of  his  own,  as  any 
way  entitling  him  to  favour;  claims  no  blessings  as  due 
to  him  on  account  of  any  thing  he  has  done  or  can  do. 
He  comes  as  poor  and  needy,  guilty  and  vile,  giving 
himself  to  Christ  to  be  washed,  justified,  and  sanctified 
by  him ;  claiming  all  blessing  as  a  free  gift  offered  to 
him  in  the  gospel,  as  obtained  for  him  solely  by  Christ, 
*  Isa.  xlv.  24. 


130  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

in  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  hlood,  the 
forgiveness  of  sin,  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
grace. ^ 

ARTICLE  XIII.     Of  Faith. 

I.  We  maintain,  that  true  faith  is  a  receiving  the 
testimony  of  God  concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Lord,  not  merely  as  true,  but  as  his  testimony  to  us. 
It  is  a  receiving  of  Christ.  But  how  can  we  receive 
him,  if  not  as  given  to  us,  and  as  our  Saviour  ?  It  is  a 
trusting  in  him.  But  how  shall  we  trust  in  him,  un- 
less we  are  assured  that  he  will  help  us  ?  It  is  a  flying 
to  him  for  refuge.  But  how  can  we  fly  to  him  for 
refuge,  unless  we  are  assured  that  we  shall  find  safety 
in  him  ?  He  does  not  call  us  to  come  to  him  hesitating 
and  doubting,  whether  he  will  receive  us;  so  far  as  such 
hesitation  and  doubts  prevail,  so  far  unbelief,  not 
faith,  prevails. — The  language  of  the  gospel  is,  /  am 
your  God;  the  answer  of  faith  is.  We  are  thy  people. 
The  promise  is  to  you,  saith  the  Lord ;  the  answer  of 
faith  is, — We  receive  and  believe  it,  as  the  word  of  him 
who  cannot  lie.  It  is  to  be  observed,  that  it  is  not 
merely  said,  the  promise  is  true ;  but  The  promise  is  to 
you.  And  if  it  be  not  believed  as  a  promise  to  us,  the 
truth  of  him  who  speaks  is  denied.  He  that  helieveth 
not  God,  hath  made  him  a  liar ;  because  he  helieveth 
not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son  :  And  this  is 
the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and 
this  life  is  in  his  Son.f  Thus,  there  is  no  way  left  for 
gospel-hearers  to  perish,  but  by  a  positive  denial  of  the 
faithfulness  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

II.  Every  one  knows  that  human  faith  is  believing  a 
human  testimony.  If  any  man  should  tell  us  that  he 
forgave  us  a  debt  we  owed  him,  and  certain  injuries 

*  Ephes.  i.  7.  f  1  John  v.  10,  11. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  131 

we  had  done  to  him;  and  besides,  that  he  made  us  a 
gift  of  an  inheritance ;  if  we  really  believed  him,  would 
we  not  believe  the  debt  forgiven,  the  man  reconciled  to 
us,  and  the  inheritance  ours  ?  Now,  what  else  is  divine 
faith  than  believing  a  divine  testimony  ?  And  what  is 
our  believing  the  gospel,  but  our  believing  God's  testi- 
mony to  us,  that  he  forgives  our  sins,  is  reconciled  to 
us,  and  gives  us  eternal  life  ?  Is  the  testimony  of  man 
worthy  of  more  particular  regard  than  that  of  God  ?  It 
is  most  unreasonable  to  object,  that  we  may  be  sure 
the  man,  in  the  supposed  case,  intends  us  a  favour,  but 
that  we  are  not  sure  that  God  intends  to  make  us  par- 
takers of  salvation.  The  secret  intention  of  the  man, 
in  the  supposed  case,  must  be  unknown  to  us  as  well 
as  the  secret  intention  of  God,  in  making  the  gospel- 
proclamation  to  us.  In  either  case,  it  is  only  what  is 
declared  or  revealed  to  us,  that  we  have  to  do  with. 
The  Lord  speaks  to  all;  and  none  who  believe  him  as 
speaking  to  them  shall  be  disappointed. 

III.  The  faith  of  this,  that  Christ  is  able  to  save  all, 
and  willing  to  save  some,  is  no  more  than  what  every 
one  must  have,  who  really  believes  the  truth  of  the 
Scriptures;  yet  this  is  a  faith  which  wicked  men  and 
devils  may  have.  But  the  great  inquiry  of  an  awakened 
sinner  is  this,  Is  God  speaking  in  the  promise  to  me  ? 
Is  there  forgiveness  with  God  for  me  ?  And  till  the 
Holy  Spirit  persuades  him  that  these  questions  ought 
to  be  answered  in  the  affirmative,  he  can  have  no  rest 
in  his  mind.  The  poor  jailer  might  have  continued  in 
his  fears,  had  he  not  received  the  gospel  which  Paul 
preached,  as  a  message  from  God,  particularly  directed 
to  him ;  which  message  is  as  particularly  directed  to 
every  one  that  hears  it,  namely :  Believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  he  saved. "^^ 

IV.  Faith  is  often  weak.  The  body  of  death  is  often 

*  Acts  xvi.  31. 


132  '      DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONTw 

very  strong  in  Christians.  Hence  their  unbelief  speaks 
louder  than  their  faith,  and  they  are  disquieted  with 
fears.  Sometimes  they  are  careless,  and  sunk  in  a 
kind  of  spiritual  sleep;  so  that  they  are  not  much  con- 
cerned to  have  their  weak  faith  strengthened  -,  but  as 
faith  is,  so  will  assurance  be.  Where  the  one  is  weak, 
the  other  will  be  weak.  But  still  where  the  one  is, 
there  will  the  other  be  also.  Faith  contains,  in  its 
very  nature,  an  assurance  of  the  thing  believed ;  and 
that  which  true  faith  believes,  is,  that  God  is  reconciled 
to  us  in  Christ. 

V.  This  assurance,  which  is  in  faith,  is  very  differ- 
ent from  the  assurance,  that  we  are  already  partakers 
of  grace  and  salvation.  This  last  is  an  answer  to  the 
inquiry,  made  by  one  in  self-examination,  Am  I  a 
Christian  ?  Is  my  faith  of  the  true  kind  ?  Do  the 
fruits  of  it  manifest  it  to  be  that  which  is  the  distin- 
guishing faith  of  Grod's  elect  ?  The  assurance  of  faith, 
is  an  answer  to  the  inquiry.  Does  God  give  eternal 
life,  not  to  others  only,  but  to  me  ?  May  I  trust  not 
only  that  Christ  will  save  some,  but  that  he  will 
save  me  ? 

VI.  We  testify  against  all  who  deny,  that  any  per- 
suasion, assurance,  or  confidence,  that  we,  in  particu- 
lar, through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  shall 
be  saved,  belongs  to  the  nature  of  faith;  and  who  affirm, 
that  faith  is  only  a  persuasion  that  God  is  merciful  in 
Christ;  and  that  Christ  is  able  and  willing  to  save  all 
who  come  to  him :  And  who  farther  affirm,  that  we 
must  first  come  to  Christ,  and  know  that  we  are  already 
true  believers,  before  we  can  claim  Christ  as  ours  in 
particular :  and  who  deny,  that  such  a  claim  belongs 
to  the  nature  of  faith.  What  such  describe  as  faith,  is 
much  the  same  with  the  general  doubtsome  faith,  once 
universally  rejected  by  Protestants,  and  reckoned  among 
the  errors  of  the  Popish  church.     It  is  to  be  lamented 


BEOLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  13S 

that  Protestants  have  not  left  the  generation  of  Anti- 
christ in  the  sole  possession  of  it. 

ARTICLE  XIV.     Of  Repentance. 

I.  We  declare,  that  evangelical  repentance  is  the 
fruit  of  faith.  The  word  repentance  does,  in  Scripture, 
sometimes  express  the  whole  of  that  change  which 
takes  place  in  the  conversion  of  a  sinner  unto  Grod  j  as, 
when  it  is  said.  Repent j  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
at  hand.^  In  this  sense  it  comprehends  faith  in  Christ, 
sorrow  for  sin,  love  to  God,  and  a  disposition  to  obey. 
him.  It  is  also  used,  in  Scripture,  to  express  that 
sense  of  guilt,  and  fear  of  wrath,  which  may  be  found 
in  the  unregenerate ;  as,  when  Judas  is  said  to  have 
repented.  But  the  repentance,  which  is  mentioned  as 
a  distinguishing  gift  of  Glod  to  his  people,  and  as  dif- 
ferent from  faith,  must,  in  the  nature  of  things,  follow 
after  it. 

II.  All  repentance  flows  from  some  kind  of  faith; 
and  according  to  a  man's  faith,  so  will  his  repentance 
be.  If  he  is  only  persuaded  that  sin  is  terrible  in  its 
consequences,  as  exposing  the  transgressor  to  the  wrath 
of  Grod,  then  he  will  only  repent  of  sin,  not  as  evil  in 
itself,  but  as  evil  in  its  effects;  he  will  still  love  sin, 
though  he  hate  its  wages.  Again,  if  a  man  is  persuaded 
that  sin  is  evil,  as  being  abominable  in  Grod's  sight,  and 
deforming  to  the  soul,  he  will  loathe  it,  and  hate  it 
with  a  perfect  hatred :  he  will  hate  the  work,  as  well  as 
the  wages  of  iniquity.  True  repentance,  being  a  sorroic 
after  a  godly  sort,  flows  from  love  to  Grod ;  but  there 
is  no  love  to  him  in  the  soul,  till,  by  faith,  we  are  in 
some  degree  persuaded  of  his  reconciliation  to  us  in 
Christ.  Hence,  we  find  true  repentance  described  in 
Scripture  as  following  a  gracious  change :  After  that  I 

*  Matt.  iv.  17. 
12 


134  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

was  turned,  I  repented.^  Now  there  is  no  turning  to 
the  Lord  but  by  faith.  When  he  draws  us,  we,  by 
faith,  come  unto  him.  Likewise,  in  Scripture,  when 
the  blessings  of  the  new  covenant  are  described,  the 
Lord  is  first  represented  as  giving  a  new  heart  and  a 
new  spirit  to  sinners;  and  then,  it  is  said,  Thei/  shall 
loathe  themselves  for  their  iniquities,  and  for  their  aho- 
minations.'\  Christ  is  exalted,  a  Prince  and  a  Sa- 
viour, to  give  repentance  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins.\ 
We  are,  therefore,  to  seek  both  from  him  by  faith. 

III.  We  do  not,  however,  affirm,  that  faith  is  first 
given,  and  repentance  some  time  afterward.  Though, 
in  the  nature  of  things,  the  one  must  go  before  the 
other;  yet,  the  instant  in  which  a  sinner  truly  believes 
in  Christ,  he  repents  of  his  sins  in  a  right  manner. 
And  we  do  likewise  acknowledge  that  some  kind  of 
repentance  may  go  before  faith.  'The  sinner  must  see 
that  his  sin  is  destroying  him,  before  he  thinks  of  ap- 
plying to  the  Saviour.  But  this  repentance  is  no  dis- 
tinguishing characteristic  of  the  people  of  God.  It  is 
such  a  repentance  as  is  found  in  many  who  perish; 
and  would  be  found  in  all  of  them,  if  their  consciences 
were  awakened. 

IV.  We  testify  against  those  who  teach,  that  we 
may  not  come  to  Christ,  nor  trust  in  him  for  salvation, 
till  we  have  first  repented  of  our  sins.  This  doctrine 
entangles  the  consciences  of  men,  and  tends  to  dis- 
courage them  from  coming  to  Christ;  since,  according 
to  it,  they  must  first  know  that  their  repentance  is  true, 
before  they  may  venture  to  trust  in  him.  It  is  irra- 
tional; as  it  is,  upon  the  matter  directing  men,  first  to 
heal  themselves,  and  then  to  go  to  the  physician.  It  is 
contrary  to  the  Scripture;  which  directs  sinners  to  go, 
by  faith,  to  Christ  for  all  they  need ;  and  which  repre- 
sents them  as  first  looking  to  him  who  was  wounded 

*  Jer.  xxxi.  19.      f  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  31.     J  Acts  v.  31. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  135 

for   their  trangressionSj  and  then  mourning   after  a 
godly  sort* 

ARTICLE  XV.    Of  the  freedom  of  Believers  from  the  Law 
as  a  Covenant. 

I.  We  declare,  that  believers  in  Christ  are  delivered 
from  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works;  he  having  ful- 
filled it  in  their  stead,  and  redeemed  them  from  its 
curse.  No  sooner  do  they  become,  by  faith,  interested- 
in  him,  than  they  are  delivered  from  its  commanding 
power,  so  as  they  are  no  more  under  an  obligation  to 
obey  its  precepts,  with  this  design,  that,  by  their  obe- 
dience, they  may  merit  eternal  life;  and  from  its  con- 
demning power,  so  that  their  sins  do  not  any  more 
render  them  liable  to  the  death  which  it  threatens.  If 
any  were  under  its  commanding,  they  would  be  also 
under  its  condemning  power;  for,  it  is  written,  Cursed 
is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in 
the  hook  of  the  law,  to  do  thein.'f  Believers  are  not  per- 
fect in  that  holiness  and  righteousness  of  life  which  the 
law  requires;  they  do  not  continue  in  all  things  which 
it  commands,  to  do  them  with  that  purity  of  heart, 
ardency  of  love  to  God,  and  single  regard  to  his  glory, 
which  it  requires.  Therefore,  if  under  the  command- 
ing power  of  the  law,  as  a  covenant,  they  would  be 
under  its  curse. 

II.  The  Spirit  of  God  has  taught  us,  that  they  who 
truly  believe  in  Christ,  are  no  more  under  the  law,  they 
being  dead  to  it,  and  it  to  them.  It  would  be  blasphe- 
my to  understand  this,  of  the  law  as  a  rule  of  right- 
eousness :  believers  are  not  without  law  to  God,  but 
under  the  law  to  Christ-X  The  exceeding  riches  of 
grace,  manifested  in  their  salvation,  instead  of  weaken- 
ing, strengthens  their  obligations  to  love  and  serve  God. 

*  Zech.  xii.  10.        f  Gal.  ill.  10.        %  1  Cor.  ix.  21. 


136  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

They  are  dead  to  the  law,  not  that  they  may  wallow  in 
sin,  as  the  swine  in  the  mire,  but  that  they  may  live 
unto  God.  Now  this  living  unto  him  is  a  living  ac- 
cording to  his  holy  law.  Every  transgression  of  this 
law  is,  in  itself,  worthy  of  death;  and  believers  being 
always  in  this  life  imperfect  in  holiness,  and  often 
chargeable  with  very  grievous  iniquities,  if  Grod  should 
enter  into  judgment  with  them,  according  to  their 
works,  they  could  not  stand  in  his  sight.  Their  safety 
does  not  lie  in  this,  that  they  commit  no  iniquity, 
or  that  their  iniquities  are  so  small  that  Grod  will  not 
count  these  worthy  of  death;  but  in  this,  that  Grod 
will  not  mark  iniquity  against  them;  all  their  sins, 
both  before  and  after  the  day  of  their  effectual  call- 
ing, having  been  laid  on  Christ,  and  taken  away  by 
him. 

III.  The  law  from  which  believers  in  Christ  are  set 
free,  cannot  be  merely  the  ceremonial  law;  for  this  de- 
liverance is  mentioned  as  the  peculiar  privilege  of  be- 
lievers in  Christ ;  but  it  might  have  been  said  to  the 
whole  Gentile  world,  saints  and  sinners,  Te  are  not 
under  the  ceremonial  law.  It  is  also  a  privilege  com- 
mon to  all  believers ;  but  those  of  the  Gentiles  who  be- 
lieved in  Christ,  never  needed  deliverance  from  the 
ceremonial  law,  for  this  plain  reason,  that  they  were 
never  under  it.  They  who  are  not  under  the  law  are 
under  grace;  but  millions,  not  under  the  ceremonial 
law,  are  under  the  curse.  They  who  are  dead  to  the 
law,  live  unto  God,  and  sin  has  no  more  the  dominion 
over  them.^  But  many  to  whom  the  ceremonial  law 
never  extended,  are  enemies  of  righteousness,  children 
of  the  devil,  and  servants  of  sin.  By  the  coming  of 
Christ,  the  ceremonial  law  was  no  longer  binding :  the 
"design  of  it  being  answered,  it  ceased.  The  church 
"was  then  called  to  behold  Christ,  not  through  a  vail  of 
*  Rom.  vi.  11, 14. 


DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY.  137 

ceremonies,  but  as  evidently  set  forth  crucijied;  and  to 
behold,  not  the  shadows  of  good  things  to  come,  but  the 
good  things  themselves,  which  many  prophets  and 
righteous  men  had  desired  to  see,  hut  saw  not.  The 
dispersion  of  the  Jews,  and  the  destruction  of  the  tem- 
ple, rendered  the  observance  of  the  ceremonial  law  as 
impracticable  as  it  was  useless.  It  may  now  be  said  to 
the  whole  world.  Ye  are  not  under  the  ceremonial  law; 
but  does  the  infallible  consequence  of  that  deliverance 
from  the  law,  concerning  which  the  apostle  speaks, 
belong  to  all  ?  May  it  be  said  to  men,  without  excep- 
tion. Ye  are  under  grace,  and  sin  shall  not  have  do- 
minion over  you?     Verily,  no. 

IV.  The  law  from  which  believers  are  delivered,  is 
that  law,  by  which  neither  they  nor  any  one  living  can 
be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  this  cannot  be 
merely  the  ceremonial  law ;  for  it  is  the  law  according 
to  which  all  moral  actions  are  tried.  Justification  by 
it,  and  justification  by  grace,  are  considered  as  directly 
opposite  the  one  to  the  other;  and  these  two  are  repre- 
sented, in  Scripture,  as  comprehending  every  supposa- 
ble  way  in  which  men  may  be  justified.  It  must  be  by 
the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  grace;  and  if  one  is  justi- 
fied, not  by  the  works  of  the  law,  the  Scripture  has 
taught  us  to  conclude  that  he  is  justified  by  grace. 
But  if  the  ceremonial  law  only  was  meant,  the  Scrip- 
ture reasoning  would  be  very  defective,  as  a  third  way 
of  seeking  justification,  namely,  by  obedience  to  the 
moral  law  as  a  covenant  of  works,  would  remain  unno- 
ticed. The  doctrine  of  justification  by  works  is  in  no 
wise  rejected  by  asserting,  that  the  ceremonial  law  is 
of  no  more  use;  that  we  are  not  under  it;  and  that  we 
ought  not  to  expect  acceptance  before  God  on  account 
of  our  obedience  to  what  it  enjoined. 

V.  The  law,  from  which  believers  in  Christ  are  set 
free,  is  that  by  which  the  unbelieving  Jews  sought 

12* 


138^  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

righteousness;  and  this  was  not  merely  the  ceremonial 
law.  Blind  as  these  Jews  were,  they  did  not  expect 
that  they  would  be  justified  by  their  obedience  to  the 
ceremonial  institutions  only.  Their  error  was,  that  they 
did  not  consider  these  as  directing  them  to  the  Re- 
deemer, but  as  showing  them  how  they  might  obtain 
eternal  life  by  their  own  works.  Thus  they  confounded 
the  ceremonial  institutions  with  the  moral  law  in  its 
covenant  form;  and  imagined,  that  by  such  aa  obedi- 
ence as  they  could  give  to  the  whole  of  the  moral  and 
ceremonial  precepts  God  had  enjoined,  they  would  be 
justified.  The  young  man  who  came  to  our  Lord,  in- 
quiring what  good  thing  he  should  do  that  he  might 
inherit  eternal  life^  had  been  seeking  it  in  the  same 
way  as  the  other  unconverted  Jews ;  and  he  had  been 
seeking  it  by  obedience,  not  to  the  ceremonial  law  only, 
but  to  the  moral.  Paul,  in  his  epistles,  frequently 
speaks  of  the  law  as  comprehending  both  the  moral 
and  ceremonial  precepts,  because,  among  the  Jews,  the 
word  law  was  commonly  understood  in  that  compre- 
hensive sense ;  and  because,  though  the  ceremonial  in- 
stitutions belonged  to  the  gospel,  as  they  served  to 
manifest  Christ,  and  to  lead  sinners  to  him;  yet  obe- 
dience to  them  was  enjoined  by  that  law  first  given  to 
man,  which  is  full  and  perfect,  requiring  obedience  to 
Grod  in  all  things  which  he  shall  command. 

VI.  The  first  adversaries  of  Christianity  did  not  mis- 
take the  sense  of  Paul's  words,  though  they  calumni- 
ated his  doctrine :  they  said,  he  made  void  the  law,  and 
taught  men  to  continue  in  sin.  Now,  as  the  ceremonial 
law  prescribed  the  times  and  manner  of  worship, 
in  the  Jewish  church,  not  those  moral  duties  which 
belong  to  the  law  as  it  extends  to  all  men,  they  would 
not  have  had  even  a  pretence  for  their  accusations,  had 
he  only  taught  that  men  were  not  justified  by  their 
*  Matt.  xix.  26,  38. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  139 

'obedience  to  it,  and  were  not  under  it.  The  ground  of 
their  quarrel  against  him  evidently  was,  his  teaching, 
that  free  grace  abounds  to  sinners  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  they  are  saved,  not  hy  works  of 
righteousness  which  they  have  done  in  obedience  to 
any  law,  but  according  to  the  mercy  of  God.  The 
reproaches  cast  on  his  doctrine  are  the  very  same  with 
those  cast  on  the  doctrine  of  free  grace  at  this  present 
time.  Our  cause  is  the  same  with  his,  and  our  ene- 
mies borrow  the  weapons  of  their  warfare  from  the 
same  lying  spirit  as  his  did.  And  Paul's  answer 
shows  us  what  reply  we  should  make  to  such.  He 
did  not  tell  them,  that  they  quite  mistook  the  sense 
of  his  words,  that  in  teaching  the  freedom  of  be- 
lievers from  the  law,  and  in  warning  all  against  the 
vain  attempt  of  seeking  life  by  it,  he  meant  the  cere- 
monial law  only;  no,  he  asserted  and  vindicated  the 
doctrine  of  free  grace  through  Jesus  Christ.  Do  we, 
says  he,  make  void  the  law  through  faith?  God 
forbid:  yea,  we  establish  the  law.*^  How  did  he  es- 
tablish it  ?  by  preaching  Christ  as  fulfilling  it,  in  our 
place,  as  redeeming  us  from  its  curse,  and  thus  re- 
deeming us  from  all  iniquity,  that  he  might  purify 
unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  those  good 
works  which  the  law  requires ;  the  Lord,  forming  his 
people  for  himself,  according  to  the  holiness  repre- 
sented in  his  law,  they  show  forth  his  praise  by  con- 
formity to  it  in  their  heart  and  life.  We  do  not  make 
void,  but  establish  the  law,  while  we  declare  it  to  be 
magnified  by  the  perfect  obedience  of  our  Lord  Jesus; 
while  we  adhere  to  it  as  the  unalterable  rule  of  right- 
eousness, every  transgression  of  which,  if  not  satisfied 
for,  by  a  surety,  must  be  punished  in  the  sinner ;  and 
while  we  maintain,  that  conformity  to  it  is  a  chief  part 
of  our  salvation,  holiness  being  essential  to  happiness. 
*  Bom.  iii.  31. 


140  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

We,  therefore,  testify  against  all  who  teach,  that 
believers  are  still  under  the  law  as  a  covenant  of 
works,  or  that  the  law  from  which  they  are,  in  Scrip- 
ture, said  to  be  delivered,  is  no  other  than  the  cere- 
monial law. 

ARTICLE  XVI.     Of  the  Motives  and  Ends  of  acceptable 
Obedience. 

I.  "We  believe,  that  the  hope  of  reward  and  fear 
of  punishment  are  not,  to  the  true  Christian,  the 
chief  motives  of  obedience.  The  love  of  Christ  con- 
straineth  him  to  live,  not  unto  himself,  but  unto  that 
Redeemer  who  died  for  him  and  rose  again.  The 
love  of  God  being  manifested  to  us  in  Christ,  we 
love  him  who  first  loved  us.  We  love  his  com- 
mandments, we  love  his  service,  and  are  moved  by 
love  to  him,  rather  than  by  self-interest,  to  do  those 
things  which  are  pleasing  in  his  sight.  The  obedi- 
ence, of  which  the  chief  motives  are  the  fear  of  hell 
and  hope  of  reward,  is  not  acceptable  to  Grod :  be- 
cause it  is  not  a  serving  of  him  in  newness  of  sipirit. 

II.  As  love  to  Grod  is  the  chief  motive,  so  the  glory 
of  his  name  is  the  chief  or  highest  end  of  acceptable 
obedience. — The  law  requires,  that  as  the  glory  of 
God  is  the  most  worthy  and  important  end  we  can 
have  in  view,  so  we  should  make  it  our  chief  end  in 
all  our  actions  :  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thine  heart.^  This  is  the  first,  and  it  is  the  great 
commandment.  The  Lord  never  did,  and  never  will 
require  less  of  any  than  what  is  expressed  in  this 
commandment.  He  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another, 
and  therefore  will  never  allow,  that  we  should  prefer 
our  self-interest,  or  any  thing  else,  to  it.  But  he  has 
wisely  and  graciously  ordered,  that,  in  seeking  his 

*  Mark  xiL  31. 


DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY.  141 

glory,  we  shall  find  our  true  interest;  he  bids  not  any 
serve  him  in  vain.  He  is  not,  and  will  not  be  a  debtor 
to  us.  We  can  add  nothing  to  him.  We  may  de- 
clare and  show  forth,  we  cannot  increase  his  glory. 
Our  services,  when  acceptably  performed,  do,  through 
his  blessing,  profit  ourselves;  they  cannot  profit  him. 

in.  We,  therefore,  condemn  the  following  proposi- 
tions. 1.  That  the  fear  of  punishment  and  the  hope 
of  reward  are  the  chief  motives  of  a  true  Christianas 
obedience.  2.  That  our  self-interest,  or  happiness,  is 
the  chief  or  highest  end  of  all  virtuous  and  religious 
actions.  These  opinions  are  contrary  to  the  Scrip- 
tures; which  teach  us,  that  we  ought  to  serve  Grod 
from  love,  as  children  do  a  father;  not  from  fear,  as 
slaves  do  a  task-master;  that,  loving  him  above  all 
things,  we  should  not  be  influenced  in  his  service  by 
selfish  considerations;  and  that,  lohether  we  eat  or 
drink  J  or  whatsoever  we  do,  we  should  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God.^ 

ARTICLE  XVII.     Of  the  Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

I.  We  believe,  that  there  is  no  inclination  or  motion 
towards  any  thing  truly  good,  but  an  utter  aversion  to 
it,  in  fallen  men,  till  the  Holy  Spirit  begins  a  special 
and  gracious  work  in  them.  The  elect  are,  by  nature, 
disobedient,  as  well  as  others,  and  as  obstinate  in  their 
disobedience  as  any.  The  power  which  brings  them  to 
Christ,  and  subdues  them  to  the  obedience  of  faith,  must 
be  almighty,  and  irresistible  in  its  operations.  They, 
as  others,  say,  We  will  not  come:  the  Lord  says,  Ye 
shall  come;  and  the  exceeding  greatness  of  divine  power 
makes  them  yield.  All  that  can  be  said,  concerning 
the  goodness  of  Grod,  the  blessedness  of  those  who  trust 
in  him,  and  the  misery  of  those  who  reject  his  counsel, 

*  1  Cor.  X.  31. 


142  DECLARATION    AND   TESTIMONY. 

though  said  in  the  most  engaging,  affecting,  and  per- 
suasive manner  possible,  will  be  addressed  to  sinners 
in  vain,  unless  the  quickening  Spirit  awakes  them  to 
hear  it. 

II.  Though  the  Spirit  draws  sinners  by  an  irresisti- 
ble power,  yet  not  by  violence.  He  overcomes  their 
obstinacy  in  a  most  sweet  and  gracious  manner.  He 
opens  the  ears  to  hear  his  voice ;  he  opens  the  eyes  to 
see  the  exceeding  riches  of  the  grace  of  God,  manifested 
in  his  kindness  towards  us  through  Jesus  Christ;  he 
opens  the  heart  to  receive  the  truth  in  love.  Thus  the 
rebellious  sinner  becomes  all  willingness.  He  is  over- 
come, or  persuaded,  by  what  may  be  called  divine  ar- 
guments. A  divine  light  shines  into  his  mind;  and 
it  has  a  transforming  influence  upon  him :  he  is  renewed 
in  the  whole  man  after  the  image  of  God.  Seeing  ac- 
cess to  Grod  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  being  heartily 
pleased  with  God's  everlasting  covenant  of  mercy,  he 
acquiesces  in  it  as  all  his  salvation,  as  comprehending 
all  he  desires. 

III.  This  change,  called  in  Scripture  a  being  born 
agaiuj  is  different,  not  merely  in  the  degrees  of  it, 
but  in  the  very  nature  of  it,  from  any  change  which 
may  be  effected  by  the  common  operations  of  the  Spirit, 
on  such  as  continue  in  unbelief.  Believers  are  created 
again  in  Christ  Jesus;  others  are  not.  They  know 
Christ,  however,  imperfectly;  others  know  him  not. 
They  love  him;  others  hate  him.  They  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God;  others  are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one. 
They  are  made  light  in  the  Lord,  others  are  dark- 
ness. They  hate  sin ;  others  love  it.  They  obey  God ; 
others  are  in  the  rebellion  against  him.  This  change 
is  not  gradual,  but  instantaneous ;  all  either  have  or  have 
not  passed  from  death  to  life;  none  are  in  a  middle  state. 
Those  convictions  which  may  go  before  conversion, 
cannot  properly  be  called  a  preparation  for  it;  as  they 


DECLARATION    AND   TESTIMONY.  143 

are  of  the  very  same  kind  with  the  conviction  which 
may  be  found  in  those  who  perish. 

IV.  The  Spirit  of  G-od  works  by  the  word;  there- 
fore, the  spirit  which  leads  men  into  opinions  not  taught 
in  the  word,  and  which  does  not  teach  them  to  consi- 
der the  word  as  a  light  to  their  feet,  as  their  guide,  and 
their  counsellor,  and  which  moves  them  to  despise  and 
speak  lightly  of  the  word,  is  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  but  the  enemy  of  mankind,  leading  them  captive 
at  his  pleasure. 

V.  We  testify  against  those  who  teach,  that  there 
is  a  common  grace  given  to  them  who  are  not  saved, 
different  only  in  degree,  not  in  kind,  from  that  grace 
given  to  the  regenerate,  by  which  they  are  enabled  to 
believe,  love,  and  obey  Grod.  This  opinion  evidently 
leads  to  deny  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  distinguishing 
grace,  or  any  favour  bestowed  on  those  who  are  saved, 
for  which  they  ought  to  thank  God  as  his  peculiar  gift 
to  them.  We  also  testify  against  the  blasphemy  of 
those,  on  the  one  hand,  who,  pretending  to  hold  by  the 
word,  deny  and  ridicule  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  in  open- 
ing, and  applying  it  to  the  hearers  of  the  gospel :  and 
that  of  those,  on  the  other  hand,  who,  under  pretence 
of  magnifying  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  despise  and 
neglect  the  word,  by  which  he  works  in  renewing  and 
calling  sinners,  and  in  preparing  believers  for  the  in- 
heritance of  the  saints  in  light. 

ARTICLE  XVIII.     Of  tJie  Perseverance  of  the  Saints. 

I.  We  believe,  that  the  Lord  will  never  leave  nor 
forsake  any  of  his  saints,  so  as  they  shall  totally  or 
finally  fall  from  that  blessed  state  into  which  he  brought 
them  in  the  day  of  their  conversion.  He  puts  his  fear 
in  their  hearts,  and  he  will  preserve  it  there.  They 
are  received  into  his  family,  to  abide  in  it  for  ever. 
They  are  h^rs  of  an  inheritance  not  only  incorruptible 


144  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

in  itself,  but  reserved  in  heaven  for  them;  and  wha 
are  kept  hy  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  that 
salvation  ready  to  he  revealed  in  the  last  time;  when 
they  shall  enter  on  the  full  possession  of  this  inherit- 
ance. They  are  united  to  Christ,  members  of  his 
spiritual  body,  and  shall  never  be  separated  from  it; 
he  will  present  it  entire  to  Grod,  saying,  Behold  1,  and 
the  children  whom  God  has  given  me;  and  none  of 
them,  is  lost  hut  the  son  of  perdition,  that  the  Scriptures 
might  he  fulfilled.  The  Father  who  gave  them  to 
Christ  is  greater  than  all;  and  none  is  ahle  to  pluck 
them  out  of  his  Father^ s  hand.  Their  Redeemer,  who 
is  also  God  mighty  to  save,  declares,  they  shall  never 
l^erish,  neither  shall  any  p)luck  them  out  of  his  hand.* 
The  love  of  Grod  did  not  fix  on  them,  on  account  of 
any  good  thing  in  them.  And  it  will  not  be  taken 
from  them  because  of  any  evil  in  them.  The  Lord 
will,  indeed,  visit  their  transgressions  with  the  rod ;  and 
their  iniquities  toith  stripes.  But  he  will  not  punish  them 
as  a  judge  executing  the  sentence  of  the  law  on  criminals : 
he  will  as  a  father  correct  them  only  for  their  profit. 

II.  This  doctrine  belongs  to  those  consolations  of 
God  which  are  neither  few  nor  small.  The  song,  put 
in  the  mouth  of  his  saints,  has  this  note  in  it:  The 
mercy  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever :  and  each  of  them 
may  say.  Twill  sing  of  the  mercies  of  the  Lord  for  ever. 
That  this  doctrine  tends  to  make  saints  negligent  in 
the  study  of  holiness,  and  even  to  encourage  them  in 
wickedness,  is  one  of  the  reproaches  devised  and  spread 
by  the  enemy  of  all  truth  and  righteousness.  The  faith 
of  the  Lord's  unchangeable  love,  expressed  towards  us 
by  bringing  us  into  his  everlasting  covenant,  is  a  most 
powerful  motive  to  the  study  of  holiness.  It  is  when 
believers,  failing  in  the  exercise  of  faith,  forget  this 
love,  that  they  fall  into  sin. 

*  John  X.  28. 


DECLARATION    AND   TESTIMONY.  145 

III.  We  do,  therefore,  testify  against  those  who  deny 
the  perseverance  of  the  saints,  as  guilty  of  wresting  the 
Scripture.  In  it  we  read  of  some  who  once  appeared 
to  be  saints,  manifesting  themselves  to  be  what  they 
always  were,  enemies  to  God,  and  still  in  the  gall  of 
hitteniesSj  and  bond  of  iniquity.  "We  read  of  some 
saints  who  fell  into  very  grievous  sins,  yet  the  Lord 
did  not  utterly  take  his  Holy  Spirit  from  them,  nor 
suffer  their  faith  to  fail;  but  we  never  read  of  any 
who  once  were,  and  afterwards  ceased  to  be  saints. 
They  are  all  in  the  hand  of  their  gracious  Lord,  who 
has  promised  that  he  loill preserve  them  from  all  evil ; 
that  he  will  preserve  their  soul,  and  that  he  icill  preserve 
them  for  ever.  If  he  did  not  keep  them,  none  of  them 
would  persevere  in  the  way  to  heaven. 

ARTICLE  XIX.     Of  the  Imperfection  of  the  Saints  in 
this  Life. 

I.  We  acknowledge,  that  all  the  saints  are  imper- 
fect in  this  life.  So  much  sin  cleaves  to  their  best 
services,  that  no  one  action  any  of  them  ever  did  could 
be  approved,  if  tried  by  the  pure  and  holy  law  of  God. 
A  body  of  death  presses  them  down  to  the  dust.  Of 
this  they  are  most  deeply  sensible,  when  the  Lord 
makes  the  light  of  his  countenance  shine  most  brightly 
on  their  souls.  It  is  then  each  of  them  cries,  with  ex- 
ceeding earnestness,  0  wretched  man  that  I  am!  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  hody  of  this  death  f"^  And  it 
is  then  that,  thanking  God,  who  giveth  them  the  victory y 
they  press,  with  the  greatest  ardour,  towards  the  mark 
of  the  prize  o/ their  high  calling. 

II.  We  do,  therefore,  condemn  the  pride  and  blas- 
phemy of  them  who  say  they  are  perfect,  and  are  not, 
but  are  liars.     While  they  say,  they  have  no  sin,  they 

*  Rom.  vii.  24,  25. 
13 


146  DECLARATION   AND    TESTIMONY. 

deceive  themselves^  and  the  truth  is  not  in  them.  By 
their  presumptuous  boasting,  we  may  know  that  they 
are  not  of  God ;  and  that  they  know  neither  the  holi- 
ness of  his  law,  nor  the  corruption  of  their  own  hearts. 
They  carry  a  mark  of  their  antichristian  extraction  on 
their  forehead,  and  are  self-deceivers.  Because  they 
received  not  the  love  of  the  truth  that  they  might  he 
saved,  God  hath  sent  them  strong  delusion,  that  they 
should  believe  a  lie.* 

ARTICLE  XX.     Of  the  Eternity  of  Punishinmts. 

We  believe  what  the  Lord  hath  most  expressly  de- 
clared, that  the  wicked  shall  he  punished  with  everlasting 
destructiofi.f  They  can  make  no  proper  satisfaction 
by  their  sufferings,  for  the  offences  they  have  committed 
against  the  infinitely  holy  Creator  and  Lord  of  the 
universe.  Besides;  their  wickedness,  continuing  in 
full  strength,  they  are,  under  their  sufferings,  sinning 
still  more.  BeJiold,  noiv  is  the  accepted  time;  hehold, 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation  J "^  They  will  be  miserably 
deceived,  who  expect  another  such  time,  another  such 
day  of  salvation,  on  the  other  side  of  death.  As  the 
tree  falleth,  so  it  must  lie.  Those  who  die  in  their  sins 
will  remain  under  the  curse  for  ever.  They  shall  he 
cast  out  into  outer  darkness.  No  ray  of  hope  will  alle- 
viate their  torments :  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  their 
fire  is  not  quenclied.  We  do,  therefore,  testify  against 
the  opinion  of  those  who  have  formerly  taught,  and  of 
those  who  now  teach,  that  the  wicked  will,  at  length, 
be  redeemed  from  the  torments  of  hell — as  plainly 
contrary  to  the  word  of  Grod,  and  extremely  pernicious 
to  the  souls  of  men. 

*  2  Thess.  ii.  10,  11.     f  2  Thess.  i.  9.      J  2  Cor.  vi.  2. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  147 


PART  THIRD. 

Concerning  the  Order  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

ARTICLE  I.     Of  Separation  frma  Corrupt  Churches. 

I.  We  believe  it  to  be  not  only  lawful,  but  expedi- 
ent, to  separate  from  a  churcb  which  is  not  merely  cor- 
rupt, but  obstinate  in  apostacy;  and  especially  from  a 
church  which  is  daily  proceeding  from  one  degree  of  it 
to  another.  We  are  commanded  to  withdraw  from 
every  brother  that  icalketh  disorderly;^  \i,  from  every 
brother,  certainly  from  a  church  or  society  of  brethren 
who  walk  so.  That  there  may  be  a  walking  disorderly 
with  respect  to  our  profession,  is  plain  from  the  charge 
which  Paul  brought  against  Peter,  and  those  other 
Jews  who  dissembled  with  him,  about  the  necessity 
of  adhering  to  the  ceremonial  law.  Observing  their 
dissimulation  about  an  article  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
which  they  would  not  avow  for  fear  of  oflfending  cer- 
tain Jews,  Paul  declared  that  they  walked  not  uprightly 
according  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  :'\  and  if  they  had 
persisted  in  this  disorderly  walking,  the  rule  before 
mentioned,  which  the  Spirit  directed  him  to  give  the 
church  of  Christ,  would  have  obliged  him  to  withdraw 
from  them. 

II.  If  it  is  objected,  that  there  were  many  disorders, 
much  of  the  leaven  of  corrupt  doctrine,  and  not  a  few 

*  2  Thess.  iii.  6.  f  ^al-  "•  1^- 


148  DECLARATION   AND    TESTIMONY. 

scandalous  persons  in  the  church  of  Corinth,  Galatia, 
Thyatira,  and  others,  mentioned  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment; and  yet  we  do  not-find  that  any  Christians  sepa- 
rated from  them.  We  answer,  that  such  evils  entering 
into  a  church,  do,  by  no  means,  warrant  us  instantly  to 
forsake  it,  and  form  ourselves  into  a  new  church-state. 
It  is  our  duty,  first,  to  labour  as  the  Lord  gives  us  abi- 
lity and  opportunity,  for  a  reformation  of  abuses ;  and 
in  this,  we  ought  to  be  patient,  as  well  as  earnest. 
None  of  the  churches  referred  to  in  the  objection,  had, 
for  a  long  series  of  years,  persisted  in  error  and  dis- 
order, contemning  all  warnings  and  testimonies  against 
their  corruptions.  The  evils  complained  of  in  them 
were  mostly  such  as  had  entered  and  spread  through 
the  negligence  of  church  members;  not  such  as  were 
persisted  in,  and  defended  by  the  church  as  a  body. 
The  church  of  Corinth,  though  very  disorderly,  was 
not  obstinate.  By  a  comparison  of  the  first  and  second 
epistles  of  Paul  to  that  church,  it  appears  that  his  ex- 
hortations wrought  a  considerable  reformation  upon  it. 
And  we  may  reasonably  conclude,  that  the  admonitions 
given  to  the  other  churches  mentioned,  produced  the 
like  efi'ects  upon  them.  If  they  did  not,  the  only  way 
for  the  faithful  to  escape  the  plagues  threatened,  as  the 
just  punishment  of  these  churches,  if  they  should  per- 
sist in  apostacy,  was  to  come  out  from  among  them,  and 
be  separate.  And  truly,  had  a  number  of  upright,  zeal- 
ous Christians  separated  from  the  superstition,  the  cor- 
rupt doctrines,  and  the  human  inventions,  which,  soon 
after  the  death  of  the  apostles,  stained  the  glory  of  the 
primitive  churches,  the  testimony  of  Jesus  had  never 
been  so  much  lost  and  buried  as  it  was  under  the  reign 
of  antichrist.  The  Lord,  in  his  adorable  wisdom  and 
sovereignty,  ordered  it  otherwise ;  but  it  is  plain  that  it 
would  have  been  the  duty  of  Christians,  first,  to  have 
testified  against  the  corruptions  which  crept  into  the 


DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY.  149 

primitive  churclies ;  and  if  their  testimony  had  been  de- 
spised, and  of  no  effect,  as  to  removing  the  evils  against 
which  they  testified,  then  it  would  have  been  their  duty 
to  have  withdrawn  from  backsliders  who  refused  to 
return.  Thus,  the  conduct  of  Christians  in  the  early 
ages  of  Christianity  is  so  far  from  being  a  convincing 
argument  with  us,  to  continue  in  the  communion  of 
churches  after  they  are  become  very  corrupt,  and  re- 
fuse to  return  from  the  evil  of  their  ways,  that  we  may 
justly  consider  it  as  furnishing  us  with  an  affecting  ex- 
ample of  the  danger  of  continuing  in  the  communion 
of  such  churches. 

in.  If  our  sentiments  respecting  separation  from  cor- 
rupt churches  seem  more  narrow  than  those  expressed 
by  some  eminent  and  worthy  men,  who  lived  at  or  soon 
after  the  Reformation,  their  authority  does  not  move  us, 
while  we  have  the  word  of  God  on  our  side.  We 
deny,  however,  that  any  proper  argument  can  be  drawn 
from  their  principles  or  practice  against  us.  In  their 
time,  the  Reformed  churches  were  generally  studying 
to  go  forward  in  removing  abuses;  and  there  was  a 
reasonable  hope  that  a  more  perfect  reformation  might 
be  attained.  But  the  case  is  now  altered;  the  abuses 
then  generally  acknowledged,  and  the  removal  of  which 
was  expected,  are,  many  of  them,  defended  and  pleaded 
for,  as  worthy  to  be  continued.  The  doctrine  of  the 
Reformed  church,  then  pure,  is  now  grievously  cor- 
rupted, and  no  hopes  of  reformation  remain ;  while  the 
most  part  are,  like  Laodicea,  saying,  /  am  rich  and 
increased  loith  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing;*  and 
will  not  acknowledge  their  true  character,  which  is  the 
very  reverse,  nor  hearken  to  the  counsel  given  them 
by  the  Lord  Jesus. 

IV.  We  testify  against  those  who  teach,  that  we 
ought  not  to  separate  from  any  church  because  of  its 

*  Rev.  iii.  17,  18. 
13* 


150  DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY. 

-corruptions  and  its  obstinacy  in  them ;  while  we  have 
just  cause  to  believe  that  the  ordinances  of  grace  dis- 
pensed, are  blessed  of  God  as  means  of  saving  sinners 
and  edifying  saints.  This  is  as  much  as  to  say,  that 
we  ought  not  to  separate  from  a  corrupt  church,  as 
long  as  we  are  not  assured  that  we  leave  no  righteous 
person  behind  us  in  it;  that  we  must  continue  in  it  till 
we  are  assured  that  it  is  become  wholly  a  synagogue  of 
Satan;  and  that  we  must  let  a  church-state  utterly 
perish,  before  we  take  any  effectual  measures  for  re- 
storing it.  We  testify  also  against  all  those  who, 
hearkening  to  such  teachers,  continue  in  communion 
with  churches  in  which  the  truth  is  denied,  its  enemies 
not  censured,  and  the  testimony  of  such  as  adhere  to  it 
suppressed  or  despised;  especially  against  those  who, 
after  a  door  is  opened,  and  a  call  given  them,  yet 
refuse  to  come  out  from  such  corrupt  societies. 

AKTICLE  II.     Of  Church  Communion. 

I.  We  declare,  that  those  only  ought  to  be  admitted 
to  the  communion  of  the  church,  who  have  a  propei" 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  make  a  faithful  profession  of  it, 
and  whose  conversation  and  practice  become  the  gospel. 

II.  First,  as  the  knowledge  of  God  manifested  to  us 
in  Christ  is  essentially  necessary  to  the  exercise  of 
faith,  repentance,  love,  and  new  obedience;  so  the 
grossly  ignorant  may  be  justly  reckoned  wicked:  they 
know  not  God,  and  cannot  put  their  trust  in  him. 
They  know  not  Christ;  how  can  they  believe  in  him? 
They  know  not  the  truth;  how  can  they  profess  it? 
Not  able  to  discern  the  blessings  signified  and  repre- 
sented to  us  in  the  sacraments,  they  would  only  pro- 
fane these  holy  ordinances,  and  hurt  their  own  souls 
by  partaking  of  them.  They  are,  therefore,  to  be  ex- 
cluded from  the  communion  of  the  church,  till  they  be 
instructed  concerning  the  Lord  and  head  of  that  so- 


DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY.  15l 

ciety,  their  own  wretchedness,  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
and  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  his  house.  What 
measure  of  knowledge  may  be  absolutely  necessary  to 
render  persons  fit  for  admission,  cannot  be  very  parti- 
cularly determined ;  only  it  must  be  such  as,  according 
to  the  word  of  God,  is  essential  to  the  exercise  of  faith 
in  him,  as  reconciled  to  us  in  Christ.  Due  conside- 
ration is  to  be  had  of  the  natural  abilities  of  different 
persons,  of  the  opportunities  which  have  been  afforded 
them  for  receiving  instruction,  and  of  the  capacity 
they  have  to  express  what  they  know. 

III.  Secondly,  a  faithful  profession  of  the  truth  is 
necessary,  to  give  persons  a  right  of  admission  to  the 
communion  of  the  church.  The  Lord  alone,  who 
knoweth  the  hearts  of  all,  knows  whether  meu^s  pro- 
fession is  sincere  as  to  the  motives  of  it;  but  the  church 
may  know  whether  it  be  according  to  the  word,  as  to  the 
matter  of  it;  that  is,  whether  it  be  full,  particular,  and 
open : — Full,  no  part  of  the  testimony  of  Jesus  design- 
edly left  out — Particular,  in  direct  opposition  to  the 
perverters  and  despisers  of  the  truth — And  open,  the 
persons  making  it  declaring  a  readiness  to  avow  it  before 
the  world,  notwithstanding  any  reproach  and  hardship 
they  may  be  exposed  to  in  maintaining  it.  The  Lord 
requires  such  a  profession  to  be  made  by  his  people, 
that  their  unity  may  be  known;  that  they  may  strive 
together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  and  that  all  may 
know  his  truth ;  it  being  thus,  by  the  church,  held  forth 
to  the  world,  as  a  light  is  held  forth  in  a  candlestick. 

IV.  All  church  members  have  not  the  same  degree 
of  knowledge ;  some  are  weak ;  some  have  had  few  helps 
and  means  of  instruction ;  some  may  labour  under  pre- 
judices, which  they  cannot  at  once  cast  off.  Towards 
all  such,  great  tenderness  should  be  used.  If  they  ap- 
pear to  be  Christians,  are  seeking  farther  instruction, 
and  are  not  determined  enemies  to  some  article  of  truth 


152  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

or  duty,  they  may,  though  labouring  under  difficulties 
about  some  part  of  the  profession  which  the  church 
makes,  be  received  into  its  communion.  But  to  re- 
ceive those  into  communion,  who  are  determined  in 
their  opposition  to  any  part  of  that  profession  the 
church  makes,  or  who  are  careless  and  wavering,  not 
studying  to  attain  a  more  perfect  knowledge  and  fixed- 
ness of  mind  about  those  matters  concerning  which  they 
are  in  doubt,  would  be  to  destroy,  not  to  build,  the 
house  of  Grod.  The  admission  of  such  is  the  destruc- 
tion of  Christian  fellowship  among  the  members  of  a 
church.  There  can  be  no  communion  in  prayers,  in 
thanksgiving,  in  striving  for  the  faith  of  the  gospelj 
where  there  is  no  unity  of  heart  and  mind  about  that 
faith.  When  one  is  casting  down  what  another  is 
building  up,  there  may  be  the  name,  but  there  cannot 
be  the  truth  of  Christian  communion. 

V.  It  is  not  consistent  with  faithfulness  to  G-od,  to 
lay  aside,  as  some  speak,  all  those  matters  which  have 
been  debated  among  wise  and  good  men,  that  by  thus 
removing  subjects  of  controversy  out  of  the  way,  there 
may  be  no  occasion  of  discord.  This  we  judge  to 
be  one  of  the  most  pernicious  errors  of  the  present 
time;  and  as  plainly  contrary  to  the  word  of  Grod  as 
any  error  which  ever  appeared  in  the  Christian  church. 
It  puts  the  agreement  of  men,  reputed  wise  and  good,  in 
the  place  of  the  Scriptures  of  truth ;  making  it,  not  them, 
our  standard.  So  that  if  some  of  this  character  deny 
any  truth,  though  it  be  ever  so  plainly  taught  in  the 
word  of  Grod,  the  church  must  cast  it  out  of  her  public 
profession.  If  this  rule  were  to  be  observed,  and  all 
those  truths  laid  aside,  which  some  men,  generally  re- 
puted wise  and  pious,  have,  at  one  time  or  another  de- 
nied and  questioned,  little,  if  any  thing,  of  Christianity 
would  be  left  remaining. 

VI.  Our  Lord  Jesus  hath,  in  the  most  plain  and  so- 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  153 

lemn  manner,  exhorted  us  to  take  heed  and  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  he  hath  commanded  us,  and  to  hold 
faU  what  we  have  received.^  Nowhere  has  he  directed 
us  to  attend  to  the  disputes  of  the  wise  and  pious,  and 
to  drop  that,  as  a  matter  of  no  importance,  about  which 
they  might  differ.  If  the  truth  of  the  gospel  be  per- 
verted, it  is  no  matter  by  whom. — Whether  the  adver- 
sary be  a  saint  or  sinner,  is  not  our  immediate  busi- 
ness ]  we  are  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints  against  those  who  attack  any  part 
of  it.  If  they  are  persons  of  reputation  for  wisdom  and 
piety,  we  ought  to  consider  that  this  reputation  will 
only  give  them  the  greater  opportunity  to  draw  away 
people  after  them. — It  was  Peter's  character,  as  an 
apostle  and  an  eminent  saint,  which  drew  Barnabas, 
and  other  Jewish  Christians  at  Antioch,  along  with 
him  into  dissimulation.  Moreover,  we  are  not  to  be 
awed  into  silence  at  the  appearance  of  eminent  piety 
in  the  opposers  of  the  truth,  since  we  are  warned  of 
tvolves  that  shall  come  in  sheep's  clothing,  and  of  Satan 
transforming  himself  into  an  angel  of  light.  Many 
adversaries  of  the  truth,  who  seem  pious,  are  not  so. 
And  let  them  be  what  they  will,  if  an  angel  from 
heaven  should  teach  any  thing  contrary  to  the  doctrine 
we  have  received  of  the  Lord,  we  ought  to  reject  his 
testimony  with  abhorrence. 

VII.  Thirdly,  none  ought  to  be  admitted  into  the 
communion  of  the  church,  whose  life  and  conversation 
are  not  such  as  become  the  gospel.  The  unrighteous 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  have  no 
right  to  those  privileges  which  are  peculiar  to  Chris- 
tians, such  as  the  sacraments,  the  seals  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  are ;  nor  is  it  enough  that  remarkably  wicked 
and  profane  persons  are  refused  admission;  the  care- 

*  Matt,  xxviii.  20.     Rev.  ii.  25. 


154  DECLABATION    AND    TESTIMONY. 

less,  who  neglect  commanded  duty,  who  remember  not 
the  Lord's  day  to  keep  it  holy,  and  who  neglect  to 
worship  God  in  their  families,  as  they  are  visibly  im- 
penitent sinners,  have  no  right  to  a  place  in  that  society 
which  should  consist  of  such  only  as  visibly,  or,  ac- 
cording to  the  judgment  of  charity,  are  saints. 

VIII.  The  admission  of  the  visibly  wicked  into  the 
church,  is  hurtful  to  other  members  of  it.  They  can- 
not encourage  and  strengthen  others  in  the  good  ways 
of  the  Lord,  but  they  will  draw  others  into  their  own 
sinful  ways.  It  is  likewise  hurtful  to  themselves;  as 
it  tends  to  confirm  them  in  the  pernicious  delusion,  that 
they  are  Christians,  while  they  are  not.  Thus,  in  ad- 
mitting those  whose  wickedness  is  visible,  office-bear- 
ers in  the  church,  besides  injuring  it,  act  a  most  cruel 
part  towards  them,  and  become  guilty  of  their  blood,  in 
so  far  as  they  do  not  give  them  faithful  warning  of  their 
danger;  but,  on  the  contrary,  harden  them  against  all 
such  warnings,  by  receiving  and  acknowledging  them 
as  visible  Christians.  Such  watchmen  are  chargeable 
with  saying.  Peace,  peace,  to  those  to  whom  there  is 
no  peace. 

IX.  What  we  have  asserted,  respecting  the  admis- 
sion of  persons  to  church  communion,  is  nowise  con- 
trary to  our  Confession  of  Faith  ;  which  declares,  that 
^'saints  by  profession  are  bound  to  maintain  a  holy 
fellowship  and  communion  in  the  worship  of  God, 
and  in  performing  such  other  services  as  tend  to  their 
mutual  edification.  Because,  to  enter  into  commu- 
nion with  the  visibly  wicked,  with  the  promoters  of 
error,  and  with  the  lukewarm,  who  will  not  openly  and 
faithfully  appear  in  the  cause  of  Christ;  or  to  enter  into 
communion  with  those  who  are  obstinate  in  apostacy 
from  the  truth  received,  would  be  no  holy  fellowship j 
and  would  tend  to  our  mutual  hurt.  We  would  neg- 
lect our  own  duty,  and  encourage  others  to  neglect 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  155 

theirs.  That  communion  which  our  Confession  says 
''is  to  be  extended  to  all,  who,  in  every  place,  call  on 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"*  respects  ministering  to 
their  outward  necessities ;  as  is  evident  to  any  who  will 
consider  the  texts  of  Scripture  referred  to  as  proving 
that  proposition.  Nothing  is  more  plain,  than  that  the 
Westminster  Assembly,  who  framed  that  Confession, 
did  not  mean,  that  every  man  who  professed  to  be  a 
Christian,  ought  to  be  admitted  to  the  communion  of 
the  church.  Many  parties,  professing  Christianity, 
were  justly  esteemed  by  them  as  its  worst  enemies. 
We  do  not,  however,  deny,  that  communion,  in  the 
fullest  sense,  may  be  extended  to  all  "  who  call  on  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  if  that  expression  is  under- 
stood according  to  the  Scripture  sense  of  it,  as  signi- 
fying an  upright  profession  of  the  truth,  a  steadfast  ad- 
herence to  it,  and  a  worshipping  of  the  Lord  accord- 
ing to  the  appointed  order,  while  the  profession  made 
of  receiving  Christ  is,  so  far  as  men  can  judge,  mani- 
fested to  be  unfeigned,  by  a  walking  in  him,  studying 
submission  to  his  cross,  and  obedience  to  all  his  com- 
mandments. 

X.  Believing  the  truths  now  declared,  to  be  of  great 
importance  to  the  true  peace  and  prosperity  of  the 
church,  we  testify  against  that  common  and  pernicious 
opinion,  that  the  matters  about  which  men,  reputed 
wise  and  pious,  differ,  ought  not  to  be  made  terms  of 
communion  in  the  Christian  church;  and  against  the 
practice  of  those,  who,  acting  on  this  principle,  and 
finding  they  cannot  agree  about  many  articles  of  truth, 
do,  as  a  church,  agree  to  lay  aside  a  public  and  joint 
testimony  for  them ;  and  thus,  as  a  church,  do  what 
they  can  to  bury  them.  We  do  also  testify  against  the 
practice  of  those  who  admit  the  ignorant,  the  careless, 

*  Confession,  chap.  26,  sect.  2. 


156  DECLARATION    AND   TESTIMONY. 

and  the  profane,  to  the  communion  of  the  church.  This 
evil  has  done  so  much  hurt  already,  that  all  who  wish 
well  to  the  interests  of  religion  should  the  more  earn- 
estly oppose  it.  He  must  be  a  stranger  in  our  Israel, 
who  does  not  know,  that  one  leading  cause  of  the  apos- 
tacy  now  prevailing  in  the  Reformed  churches,  has 
been  the  want  of  due  strictness  and  care  in  admitting 
persons  into  their  communion.  This  little  leaven  has 
almost  leavened  the  loJiole  lump.  The  careless  and 
corrupt,  once  admitted,  have  quickly  opened  a  door  to 
others  of  their  own  character.  We  do  also  testify 
against  what  some  call  occasional  communion ;  by 
which  they  mean,  the  admission  of  people  into  their 
religious  fellowship  for  a  time,  whom  they  do  not 
reckon  qualified  to  continue  in  it.  We  have  neither 
precept  nor  example  in  the  word  of  God,  authorizing 
such  a  practice.  It  is  manifestly  absurd  ',  we  can  rea- 
sonabl}'-  admit  none  to  communion  at  one  time,  who, 
while  they  abide  in  the  same  faith  and  practice,  may 
not  be  continued  in  our  communion. 

ARTICLE  III.     Of  Excommunication. 

I.  We  believe,  that  the  Lord  will  bless  no  censures 
which  he  hath  not  appointed  in  his  church;  and  also, 
that  no  church  can  prosper,  if  it  despise  those  censures 
which  he  has  appointed,  or  if  it  neglect  the  application 
of  them  when  necessary.  Persons  who  give  offence, 
are  to  be  excluded  from  communion  till  they  give  cre- 
dible evidence  of  their  repentance  and  amendment.  But 
if  the  offence  is  very  great,  or  if  the  offending  person  is 
obstinate,  and  will  hear  no  admonition,  he  ought  to  be 
entirely  cast  out  of  the  church ;  which  last  sentence  is 
commonly  called  the  greater,  as  the  former  is  called 
the  lesser  eoccommunication. 

n.  The  ends  for  which  very  grievous  or  obstinate 
offenders  are  to  be  cast  out  of  the  chui'ch,  are  these : — 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  157 

First,  Its  preservation.  This  is  the  appointed  way  to 
deliver  it  from  the  pernicious  influence  of  such  as  per- 
sist in  error,  or  in  apostacy  from  the  truth,  which  they 
had  formerly  professed  to  receive,  or  who  are  griev- 
ously scandalous  in  their  practice.  Secondly,  The  good 
of  those  who  are  thus  cast  out.  This  censure,  rightly  ap- 
plied, is  a  due  and  proper  testimony  against  their  sin ; 
and,  therefore,  an  appointed  mean  of  bringing  them  to 
repentance. 

III.  The  greater  excommunication  is  no  more  than 
a  casting  out  of  the  church,  or  a  judicial  declaring  the 
offender  no  more  of  that  society.  The  delivering  to 
Satan,  by  which  excommunication  is  sometimes  ex- 
pressed in  Scripture,*  means  nothing  more  than  a  cast- 
ing out  of  the  visible  kingdom  of  Christ,  into  the  so- 
ciety composed  of  the  rest  of  the  world,  who  are  de- 
scribed as  Satan's  visible  kingdom,  and  among  whom 
he  rules,  though  not  without  control.  The  destruc- 
tion of  the  flesh,  mentioned  in  Scripture  as  an  end  of 
excommunication,  is  the  destruction  of  those  lusts  and 
corruptions  which  are  often  called  in  Scripture,  the 
flesh,  and  are  opposed  to  the  spirit,  or  renewed  man. 
In  the  present  divided  state  of  the  church,  those  whom 
one  denomination  of  Christians  cast  out  are  often  re- 
ceived by  another ;  but  surely,  when  we  cast  out  one 
from  our  communion,  we  do,  upon  the  matter,  declare 
that  no  other  church,  if  it  were  what  it  ought  to  be, 
and  acted  as  it  ought  to  act,  would  receive  him ;  that 
he  ought  to  be  considered  by  every  Christian  as  a  Hea- 
then, or  one  who  deserves  no  place  in  the  visible  church 
of  Christ,  till  he  manifests  his  repentance. 

IV.  In  excommunication,  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  state  of  persons  before  God,  but  with  their  be- 
haviour in  the  church.     It  is  not  necessary  to  delay 

*  1  Cor.  V.  5. 
14 


158  DECLARATION   AND    TESTIMONY. 

excommunication  till  the  offending  party  give  evident 
signs  of  his  being  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond  of 
iniquity.  The  matter  to  be  considered  is,  whether  or 
not,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  he  deserves  that  cen- 
sure. We  doubt  not  but  real  Christians  may,  in  some 
instances,  prove  such  troublers  of  the  church,  and  such 
pernicious  members  of  it,  that  it  is  necessary  to  cut 
them  off  from  its  society.  All  due  tenderness,  how- 
ever, should  be  used  towards  offenders.  No  marks  of 
rashness  and  anger  should  appear  in  our  proceedings 
against  them. — We  ought,  as  far  as  possible,  to  mani- 
fest to  them,  that  it  is  not  hatred  towards  them,  but  a 
regard  to  the  welfare  of  the  church,  and  a  desire  to  re- 
claim them,  which  moves  us  to  censure  them. 

V.  The  adding  of  civil  pains  and  penalties  to  excom- 
munication, is  a  scandalous  abuse  of  this  spiritual  ordi- 
nance, and  a  remnant  of  antichristian  tyranny,  which 
was  retained  too  long  in  some  Protestant  countries  ]  and 
is  retained  in  others  to  this  day.  We  testify  against 
this,  and  every  other  abuse  of  that  censure ;  as  also, 
against  them  who  deny  that  it  may  be  applied  to  any 
offenders,  except  those  whose  wickedness  is  absolutely 
inconsistent  with  their  being  real  Christians.  If  this 
opinion  were  just,  men  might  trouble  the  church,  and 
pervert  its  members  ever  so  long,  and  yet  we  might 
never  venture  to  cast  them  out  of  it,  not  having  posi- 
tive evidence  of  their  being  in  an  unregenerate  state. 

ARTICLE  IV.     Of  Confessions  of  Faith. 

I.  We  declare,  that  a  confession  of  faith,  or  some 
public  declaration  of  the  principles  of  the  church,  is  ne- 
cessary to  its  well  being.  The  church  of  Christ  is 
bound  to  testify  to  the  world  what  is  her  faith  and 
practice ;  that  such  as  would  learn,  may  have  an  oppor- 
tunity ;  that  such  as  are  disposed  to  enter  into  her  com- 
munion^ may  know  into  what  kind  of  society  they  are 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  159 

entering ;  and  that  she  herself  may  be  assured  of  the 
sound  mind  of  such  as  she  receives,  by  their  adherence 
to  that  declaration  or  confession  of  the  faith  of  Christ 
made  in  his  church.  An  acknowledgment  of  the  Scrip- 
tures as  the  word  of  Grod,  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  would  be  abundantly  sufficient  for  this  pur- 
pose, if  the  Scripture  doctrines  were  opposed  by  none 
but  Jews,  Pagans,  Mahometans,  and  other  avowed  ene- 
mies of  Christianity.  But,  we  know,  that,  as  formerly, 
so  now,  many  professing  to  receive  the  Scriptures, 
wrest  them  sometimes  to  their  own  hurt,  sometimes  to 
their  own  destruction.  It  is  necessary,  that  we  should 
testify  plainly  against  such,  declaring,  that  we  do  not 
understand  the  Scriptures  according  to  their  perverse 
apprehensions  about  what  is  contained  in  them ;  and  as 
we  would  be  found  faithful  to  the  Lord,  in  keeping  his 
truth  pure  and  entire  among  us,  we  ought  to  inquire  of 
those  who  ask  admission  into  our  communion.  Whe- 
ther they  do  understand  the  Scriptures  in  that  sense 
which  we  judge  to  be  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit? 
Without  some  public,  joint  confession  of  the  faith,  there 
would  be  no  keeping  out  the  worst  heretic  that  ever  ap- 
peared, bearing  the  Christian  name,  from  communion 
with  us.  Yet  the  suffering  of  such  to  enter  into  our 
religious  fellowship,  or  to  continue  in  it,  is  a  sin  for 
which  the  Lord  reproves  churches  otherwise  commend- 
able, as  appears  from  the  epistles  to  those  of  Pergamos 
and  Thyatira.* 

II.  Confessions  of  faith  may  be,  and  often  are  wrested 
by  the  adversaries  of  truth  :  and  when  they  are  so,  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  declare  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  as  it 
stands  in  opposition  to  new  errors,  or  to  old  errors  in  a 
new  dress. — The  confession  of  the  church  needs  not, 
by  such  new  declarations,  to  be  enlarged,  so  as  to  reu- 

*  Rev.  ii.  12,  18. 


160  DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY. 

der  it  more  perplexing  and  burdensome  for  Christians 
to  understand  it.  The  truth  maintained  against  former 
errors,  we  ought  still  to  hold  fast.  But  when  errors 
are  either  extinct,  or  nearly  so,  and  when  there  is  no 
apparent  danger  of  their  being  revived,  there  is  not  such 
a  necessity  of  enlarging  on  the  truth  which  stands  in 
opposition  to  them,  as  when  they  were  high  in  repute, 
and  daily  spreading.  The  errors  which  have  troubled 
the  church  in  former  and  latter  times  are  indeed  mate- 
rially the  same,  and  the  truth  to  be  testified  for,  against 
them  is  the  same ;  only  it  ought  to  be  stated  in  such  a 
manner,  as,  by  it,  we  may  condemn  the  errors  of  our 
time,  and  express  our  adherence  to  the  Scripture,  in  op- 
position to  the  present  perverters  or  neglecters  of  it. 

in.  Confessions  of  faith  are  no  imposition  on  the 
conscience,  except  when  men  in  power  force  others  to 
receive  such  a  confession  of  faith  as  hath  been  framed 
for  them,  threatening,  and  employing  fines,  imprison- 
ment, and  other  penalties,  if  they  refuse.  This  is  a 
compelling  of  men  to  come  to  the  church,  by  means 
entirely  opposite  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  The  gos- 
pel compels,  but  it  does  so,  only  by  exhorting,  entreat- 
ing, and  persuading.  The  abuse  of  confessions  of  faith 
is  to  be  lamented  and  condemned ;  but  it  says  no  more 
against  the  necessity  and  usefulness  of  them,  than  the 
abuse  of  the  Scriptures  does  against  the  divine  original 
of  these  sacred  oracles. 

IV.  We  do,  therefore,  testify  against  all,  who,  being 
enemies  to  a  public,  joint  confession  of  the  faith  in  the 
church,  would  have  the  door  set  open  to  the  worst 
heretics,  and  the  most  dreadful  perverters  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, to  enter  into  it.  Such  often  decry  confessions 
of  faith,  pretending  that  they  do  it  from  a  regard  to  the 
Scripture ;  but  they  take  a  very  improper  way  to  ex- 
press their  regard  to  it,  while  they  oppose  what  is  ne- 
cessary for  preserving  the  Scripture  doctrine,  and  for 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  161 

opposing  its  adversaries.  Moreover,  it  is  no  breach  of 
charity  to  say,  that  the  regard  many  such  express  for 
the  Scripture,  is  feigned ;  since  we  find  them  insisting 
on  little  else  in  their  discourses,  and  writings,  than  those 
duties  which  the  light  of  nature  discovers  to  us,  but 
which  it  does  not  afiford  us  strength  to  perform. 

ARTICLE  V.  Of  Public  Covenanting. 
I.  We  have  already  declared,  that  public,  solemn 
covenanting  by  a  church,  is  not  merely  lawful,  but  when 
the  Lord  gives  an  opportunity  to  set  forward  in  it,  ex- 
ceedingly useful  for  promoting  the  interests  of  religion. 
The  reasons  which  convince  us  that  this  is  a  duty,  are 
such  as  the  following : — First,  The  divine  command  to 
vow  icnto  the  Lord;  which  cannot  be  restrained  to  a 
private  vowing  to  him,  any  more  than  the  command 
given  us  to  pray  to  him,  can  be  restrained  to  a  doing  so 
in  secret.  Secondly,  The  practice  of  the  Israelitish 
church;  whose  covenanting  cannot  be  considered  as 
any  part  of  their  obedience  to  the  ceremonial  law  now 
abolished.  It  was  neither  commanded  in  that  law,  nor 
did  it  peculiarly  respect  the  observance  of  ceremonial 
institutions,  but  chiefly  that  obedience  to  Grod,  that  ad- 
herence to  his  truth,  and  that  uprightness  in  walking 
before  him,  which  are  as  much  our  duty  as  that  of 
any  former  generation.  Whatever  different  circum- 
stances may  render  necessary,  between  covenanting  as 
practised  by  the  Old  and  by  the  New  Testament  church, 
the  duty  is  still  the  same.  It  was  not  a  shadow  of  good 
things  to  come,  but  was  necessary  then,  and  is  neces- 
sary now,  as  an  appointed  means  of  maintaining  pu- 
rity, zeal,  and  steadfastness,  among  church  members. 
We  have  also  reason  to  conclude,  that  a  public,  solemn 
engagement  to  abide  by  the  truth,  and  to  assist  each 
other  in  promoting  it,  was  intended,  when  it  is  said  of 
some  New  Testament  churches,  that  they  gave  their 
14* 


162  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

ownselves  to  the  Lord*  This  giving  of  themselves  to 
the  Lord  was  distinct  from  the  profession  they  had  made 
at  their  first  entrance  into  the  Christian  church.  The 
engagements  they  came  under  by  joining  together  in 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper^  could  not  be  in- 
tended ;  else  what  they  did  would  not  have  been  more 
than  the  apostles  expected.  Thirdly,  The  Scripture 
prophecies  and  promises  show  it  to  be  a  duty ;  and  also 
a  duty  which  shall  be  attended  to  and  practised  with 
success  in  New  Testament  times.  The  EgyptianSy 
it  is  said,  shall  know  the  Lord  in  that  day^  and  shall 
vow  a  vow  unto  the  Lord,  and  perform  it  ;'\  that  is, 
such  as  were  of  old  enemies  to  the  church,  and  aliens 
from  it,  shall,  in  the  day  of  the  enlargement  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  solemnly  avouch  the  Lord  to  be  their  Grod, 
and  engage  by  covenant  to  serve  him.  Though  sacri- 
ficing to  the  Lord  is  mentioned  in  some  Old  Testament 
prophecies,  along  with  vowing  and  swearing  to  him, 
we  are  not  to  suppose  that  these  last,  like  the  former, 
are  only  figurative  expressions  of  what  was  to  happen 
in  New  Testament  times ;  since  it  can  never  be  proved 
that  they  were  types  of  things  to  come,  any  more  than 
the  knowledge  of  God  and  prayer  to  him,  which  are 
mentioned  in  the  same  prophecies.  Nor  is  it  foretold  in 
one  passage  only,  that  this  duty  should  be  observed  in 
the  New  Testament  church,  but  in  several;  as  when  it 
is  said,  Men  shall  swear  not  merely  by  the  Lord,  but 
to  him;  that  they  shall  subscribe  ivith  the  hand\  unto 
him,  and  that  they  shall  join  themselves  to  him  in  a 
perpetual  covenant j  that  shall  not  be  forgotten.^  All 
which  promises  have  a  special  respect  to  that  dispensa- 
tion of  grace  under  which  we  live. 

11.  Vowing  to  God  is  a  reasonable  service.     If  we 
may  lawfully  engage  by  oath,  as  is  generally  allowed, 

*  2  Cor.  viii.  5.     f  Isa.  xix.  21.     %  Isa.  xliv.  5.     §  Jer.  1.  5. 


DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY.  163 

to  maintain  a  civil  cause,  mucli  more  may  we  do  so  to 
maintain  the  cause  of  Grod.  If  we  swear  allegiance  to 
a  civil  government,  may  we  not  with  still  greater  pro- 
priety, swear  to  be  faithful  to  the  supreme  Governor 
and  Judge  of  all  the  earth  ?  The  profession  of  the 
faith  is  such,  as  we  can  never  make  too  openly  and 
solemnly.  The  engagements  we  are  under  to  the  Lord, 
cannot  be  avowed  in  too  direct  a  manner.  The  duty 
we  owe  to  each  other,  as  to  our  civil  interests,  is,  in 
various  instances,  engaged  to  by  oath ;  and,  doubtless, 
we  may  lawfully  so  engage  ourselves  to  the  religious 
duties  we  owe  one  to  another. 

III.  Covenanting  has  been  practised,  some  time  or 
other,  though  not  always  in  the  same  manner,  by  most 
of  the  Reformed  churches.  Something  of  this  kind  is 
essential  to  the  very  being  of  a  church,  as  the  members 
of  it  must  more  or  less  explicitly  acknowledge  them- 
selves to  be  under  engagements  to  the  Lord  and  each 
other,  binding  them  to  abide  by  the  profession  of  the 
faith  they  have  made,  and  to  assist  each  other  in  main- 
taining it. 

IV.  We  are  not  answerable  for  what  may  be  found 
defective,  amiss,  or  foreign  to  the  nature  of  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  in  the  manner  of  covenanting  used  by  some 
churches  in  former  times,  while  we  do  not  approve  nor 
imitate  their  blemishes.  It  is  surely  no  argument 
against  a  duty,  that  it  has  not  been  always  observed 
with  due  attention  to  the  Scripture  rules.  As  little  is 
the  common  prevailing  hatred  of  this  duty,  any  argu- 
ment with  us  to  reject  it,  as  unnecessary.  We  have 
reason  to  conclude,  that  the  greatest  adversary  of  the 
church  hates  it,  and  is  afraid  of  it,  since  he  stirs  up  so 
many  to  rail  against  it.  If  some  good  men  have  ap- 
peared against  it,  this  is  neither  new  nor  strange.  Good 
men  have  at  times  appeared  in  a  bad  cause ;  but  we 
know,  the  first  who  in  later  times  appeared  against  pub- 


164  DECLARATION  AND   TESTIMONY. 

lie  covenanting,  were  generally  a  malignant,  ungodly, 
profane  generation,  who  hated  it  in  proportion  as  they 
hated  the  pure  reformed  doctrine,  which  the  church 
has  engaged  by  covenant  to  maintain  and  promote. 
The  hatred  of  this  duty  has  become  more  general,  as 
the  power  of  godliness  and  zeal  for  the  truth  have  de- 
clined. 

y.  Covenanting  is  useful  for  uniting  church  mem- 
bers ;  for  strengthening  them  by  their  union ;  for  tes- 
tifying to  the  world  their  steadfast  adherence  to  the 
truth ;  for  impressing  their  minds  with  a  sense  of  their 
duty ;  and  for  giving  glory  to  the  Lord,  by  such  a  so- 
lemn acknowledgment  of  their  subjection  to  him.  It  is 
not  unnecessary  because  we  were  bound  to  perform  the 
same  duties  before  we  engaged  by  solemn  covenant  to 
perform  them.  In  every  profession  of  faith  which 
Christians  make,  either  when  they  enter  into  the  church, 
or  when  they  join  together  in  celebrating  the  Lord's 
death  at  his  table,  they  do  but  acknowledge  that  to  be 
their  duty  which  was  so  before ;  they  do  not  bind  them- 
selves to  any  thing  which  they  might  otherwise  have 
lawfully  neglected.  But  we  hope  none  will  say  that 
such  professions  are,  for  this  reason,  useless. 

VI.  We  testify  against  those  who  oppose  this  duty, 
either  by  pleading,  that  it  is  unseasonable  in  the  pre- 
sent divided  state  of  the  church,  or  by  asserting,  that 
it  ceases  to  be  a  duty  in  New  Testament  times.  They 
do  not  take  the  proper  way  to  heal  the  divisions  of  the 
church,  who  neglect  an  appointed  means  for  uniting 
and  strengthening  its  members ;  nor  do  they  rightly 
understand  the  nature  of  the  New  Testament  church, 
who  deny,  that  it  is  proper  for  it  to  acknowledge  its 
subjection  to  the  Lord,  in  as  public  and  solemn  a  man- 
ner as  the  Old  Testament  church  did. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  165 

AKTICLE  VI.     Of  Singing  the  Psalms  of  David. 

I.  We  declare,  that  the  Psalms  of  David  are  proper 
to  be  sung  in  public  worshipping  assemblies,  and  in 
families ;  and  that  we  believe  they  were  designed  for 
this  purpose  by  the  Holy  Spirit  Every  human  com- 
position must  be  as  much  inferior  to  them  as  the  wri- 
tings of  the  best  men  are  inferior  to  the  word  of  Grod. 

n.  That  imitation  of  the  Psalms  of  David,  which  is, 
by  many,  substituted  in  their  place,  we  reject,  for  these 
reasons :  First,  We  reckon  it  a  very  daring  presump- 
tion for  any  man  to  give  us  an  imitation  of  a  part  of  the 
Scripture,  pretending  that  it  is  more  worthy  of  our  ac- 
ceptance, and  more  proper  to  be  used  in  the  worship  of 
Grod,  than  the  Scripture  itself.  Let  the  writings  of  fal- 
lible men  contain  ever  so  many  valuable  truths,  still  we 
are  not  ashamed  to  declare,  that  never  man  spake  like 
God.  Secondly,  In  that  imitation,  some  of  these  ex- 
cellent psalms,  precious  to  the  saints,  as  songs  of  praise, 
which  the  Lord  their  Grod  put  in  their  mouths,  are  quite 
left  out.  Thirdly,  These  psalms,  of  which  an  imitation 
is  given  to  us,  are,  many  of  them,  so  disordered  and 
mangled,  that  one  can  see  little  resemblance  between  the 
imitation  and  the  Scripture  songs.  By  this,  contempt 
is  put  upon  the  order  of  matter  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
judged  the  best.  Fourthly,  One  declared  reason  of  sub- 
stituting that  imitation  in  place  of  the  Psalms  of  David, 
is,  that  many  things  in  the  latter  are  affirmed  to  be  con- 
trary to  the  spirit  of  meekness,  forgiveness,  and  love  to 
all  men,  which  is  said  to  be  peculiar  to  the  New  Tes- 
tament church.  This  is  an  injurious  reflection  on  what 
the  Holy  Spirit  says  in  the  Old  Testament. 

III.  That  the  commandment,  to  forgive  and  love  our 
enemies,  was  never  heard  of,  nor  practised  by  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  till  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  came  in  the  flesh; 


166  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

and  that  the  Old  Testament  doctrine  is  contrary  to  it, 
is  a  wicked  opinion,  long  ago  maintained  by  the  So- 
cinians,  those  enemies  to  the  divine  glory  and  free 
grace  of  the  Redeemer,  but  justly  condemned  in  the 
Protestant  churches ;  and  we  do  reject  it  with  abhor- 
rence. The  Holy  Ghost  spake  by  the  mouth  of  David; 
his  psalms  are  again  and  again  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament,  as  the  sayings  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  he 
spake  nothing  by  David,  or  by  any  other  of  the  Old 
Testament  prophets,  which  he  denied  or  contradicted 
under  the  New  Testament  dispensation.  The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  exhorted  men  to  exercise  the  same  love 
and  forgiveness  towards  enemies,  under  the  Old  as 
under  the  New  Testament  dispensation :  If  thine  ene- 
my he  hungry y  give  him  bread  to  eat;  and  if  he  be 
thirsty,  give  him  water  to  drink  :*  Rejoice  not,  when 
thine  enemy  falleth;  neither  let  thine  heart  be  glad, 
when  he  stumbleth,-f  were  commandments  made  known 
of  old ;  and  were  binding  on  men,  as  well  before  as 
after  the  coming  of  Christ.  Such  commandments  were 
neither  unknown  to  David,  nor  unpractised  by  him. 
He  delivered  the  man,  who  without  cause,  was  his  ene- 
my :  for  the  truth  of  this  he  appeals  to  God. J  If  he 
sometimes  failed  in  his  duty,  so  also  do  Christians 
under  the  New  Testament,  being  still  very  far  from 
perfection  in  holiness. 

IV.  What  are,  by  some,  reckoned  curses  and  impre- 
cations in  the  Psalms,  are  nothing  more  than  a  declaring 
of  the  righteous  judgments  which  God  will  execute 
upon  the  wicked ;  and  a  saying.  Amen,  to  all  he  does, 
as  just  and  holy :  this  is  no  way  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  New  Testament.  Paul  did  not  forget  the 
command  to  love  his  enemies,  when  he  prayed,  as  to 
some  of  them,  that  the  Lord  might  reward  them  ac- 

*  Prov.  XXV.  21.         f  Prov.  xxiv.  17.  J  Ps.  vii.  4. 


DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY.  167 

cording  to  their  icorhs/'^  He  knew  that  command  did 
not  forbid  him  to  pray,  that  the  Lord  would  vindicate 
his  own  cause,  and  defeat  its  malicious,  obstinate  ad- 
versaries. The  whole  New  Testament  church  is,  in 
the  Revelation,  represented  as  joining  in  a  song  of 
praise,  which  they  who  object  against  the  Psalms  of 
David,  might,  with  equal  reason,  represent  as  contrary 
to  the  spirit  of  forgiveness :  After  these  things,  says 
John,  I  heard  a  great  voice  of  much  people  in  heaven^ 
that  is,  the  visible  church,  saying^  Alleluia^  ScdvatioUy 
and  glory  J  and  honour,  and  power,  unto  the  Lord  our 
God ;  for  true  and  righteous  are  his  judgments,  (the 
terrible  plagues  mentioned  in  the  former  chapter,)  for 
he  hath  judged  the  great  whore,  tvhich  did  corrupt  the 
earth  with  her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood 
of  his  servants  at  her  hand.'f 

V.  We  use,  it  is  true,  a  poetical  version  of  the  Psalms; 
and  it  is  scarcely,  if  at  all,  possible  to  form  a  version 
of  this  kind  as  strictly  agreeable  to  the  letter  of  the 
original  as  a  prose  one  can  be  formed.  But  this  defect 
cannot  be  remedied  by  departing  still  farther  from  the 
original,  in  an  imitation  which  bears  but  a  very  faint, 
imperfect  resemblance  to  it. — We  have  the  original 
matter,  and  the  original  order  of  the  matter,  in  the 
version  used  by  us  :  and  we  are  not  ashamed  to  prefer 
this  matter  to  the  best  sayings  of  men;  and  this  order, 
to  any,  men  ever  did,  or  ever  will  devise. 

VI.  If  there  are,  in  the  Psalms,  some  things  hard  to 
be  understood,  so  there  are  in  some  other  parts  of  the 
Scripture.  Prayer  and  study  are  means  appointed  to 
lead  us  into  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  such  pas- 
sages. It  belongs  to  the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  open  our  understandings,  that  we  may  un- 
derstand the  Scriptures,^  and  we  ought  to  trust  in  him 
that  he  will  do  so.     If  we,  in  some  instances,  find  our- 

*  2  Tim.  iv.  14.        f  Rev.  xix.  1,  2.        %  Luke  xxiv.  44. 


168  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

selves  unable  to  perceive  the  sense  of  the  sacred  oracles, 
we  ought  humbly  to  confess  our  ignorance  and  incapa- 
city to  discern  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  We 
ought  not  to  represent  the  language  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
as  improper,  or  too  obscure  for  general  use  in  the 
church,  nor  to  throw  aside  our  Bible,  as  too  difl&cult 
for  us  to  understand,  substituting  an  imitation  of  it  in 
its  place,  which  may  be  thought  more  plain.  The 
more  exactly  any  version  expresses  the  sense  of  the 
inspired  writers,  and  the  more  closely  it  follows  their 
manner  of  speaking,  it  is  so  much  the  more  valuable. 

ARTICLE  VII.     Of  Sivearing. 

I.  We  maintain,  that,  when  duly  called  to  swear  an 
oath,  we  should  swear,  as  the  Scripture  directs  us,  with 
our  hands  lifted  up  to  the  Most  High  GtOD.  We  tes- 
tify against  the  custom  of  swearing  by  kissing  the  Gos- 
pels, the  Bible,  or  any  other  book,  as  improper  and 
superstitious ;  of  a  Popish,  if  not  of  a  Pagan  original  ] 
and  destitute  of  that  solemnity,  which  should  be  used 
in  appealing  to  God  for  the  truth  of  what  we  assert. 

II.  We  do,  likewise,  testify  against  all  oaths,  in 
which  the  swearer  engages  to  keep  secret  what  he  does 
not  know — something  not  being  revealed  to  him,  till 
he  engage  by  oath  to  conceal  it.  Such  oaths  are  in- 
snaring,  as  they  may  contain  what  a  man  cannot,  with- 
out sin,  perform ;  and  are  such  as  our  conscience  can- 
not approve  of  as  lawful  and  proper,  since  we  do  not 
know  what  we  are  engaging  to  do.  They  ought,  there- 
fore, to  be  carefully  avoided  by  such  as  would  walk 
Nameless  in  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.  We  do 
not,  however,  deny,  that  persons  employed  in  the  civil 
government  of  their  country,  or  in  its  defence  in  case 
of  war,  may  lawfully  swear  to  conceal  the  public  busi- 
ness, lest  the  knowledge  of  it,  being  conveyed  to  the 
enemy,  should  hurt  the  interests  of  the  community. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  169 


ARTICLE  VIII.     Of  Preshyterial  Church  Government. 

I.  We  adhere  to  Presbyterial  churcli  government,  as 
that  which  Christ  has  appointed,  and  which  no  power, 
ecclesiastical  or  civil,  may  lawfully  change.  Our  Lord 
Jesus  hath  expressly  forbidden  any  of  his  servants  to 
act  as  lords  over  Ms  heritage,  or  to  exercise  dominion 
over  their  brethren.*  Bishops,  claiming  the  sole  or 
chief  power  of  ordination,  and  ruling  over  their  fellow 
servants,  are  therefore  usurpers  and  intruders  in  the 
church  of  Christ :  he  never  will  bless  that  power  and 
authority  which  they  take  to  themselves,  above  what 
they  have  a  right  to  do  in  common  with  other  ministers 
of  the  gospel.  The  same  persons  are  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament called  Bishops  or  Overseers,  and  Presbyters  or 
Elders :  so  that  the  distinction  between  these  has  not 
the  least  shadow  of  authority  from  the  word  of  God, 
and  owes  its  rise  to  those  times  when  the  church  had 
degenerated  from  its  first  purity  and  order.  All  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  are  of  the  same  order,  and  have 
equal  authority  in  the  house  of  God. 

II.  Our  Lord  Christ  has  also  appointed,  that  there 
should  be  elders  to  assist  in  the  government  of  his 
church,  besides  those  who  labour  in  word  and  doctrine  ^f 
also  deacons  to  attend  to  the  concerns  of  the  poor  :\  and, 
as  this  last  office  is  comprehended  in  each  of  the  two 
former,  there  is  nothing  unreasonable  in  the  same  per- 
son acting  as  a  ruling  elder  and  as  a  deacon,  if  he  can 
conveniently  fulfil  the  duty  of  both  offices. 

III.  All  office-bearers  in  particular  congregations, 
whether  ministers,  elders,  or  deacons,  ought  to  be 
chosen  by  the  people,  and  by  such  of  them  only  as  are 
in  the  full  communion  of  the  church.    The  privilege  of 

*  1  Pet.  v.  3.  Matt.  xx.  25.     f  1  Tim.  v.  17.     %  Acts  vi.  1—6. 
15 


170  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

choosing  their  own  office-bearers  belongs  to  Christian 
congregations  by  a  divine  right,  being  authorized  by 
the  examples  we  have  in  the  New  Testament  of  this 
power  being  exercised  by  church  members. — Such  of- 
fice-bearers as  thrust  themselves  into  the  church,  the 
people  not  consenting  to  their  admission,  are  to  be  con- 
sidered as  hirelings  and  intruders^  till  they  manifest 
their  repentance,  and  obtain  the  approbation  of  those 
among  whom  they  exercise  their  office.  It  belongs  to 
the  judicatories  of  the  church  to  try  those  who  are 
chosen  by  the  people ;  and,  if  they  are  found  qualified, 
solemnly  to  set  them  apart,  and  ordain  them  to  their 
office. 

IV.  Any  number  of  ministers,  and  congregations, 
may  so  join  together  as  to  be  one  church,  under  one 
government,  making  one  confession  of  the  faith  of 
Christ,  and  following  one  order  in  the  worship  of  God ; 
and  where  a  number  of  congregations  can  attain  this,  it 
is  their  duty  so  to  unite,  for  strengthening  one  another's 
hands,  and  encouraging  one  another's  hearts  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord.  The  Christians  of  a  particular  place  are 
often  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  as  one  church, 
though  in  sundry  instances  where  they  are  so  mentioned, 
they  were  so  numerous,  that  it  is  unreasonable  to  be- 
lieve they  all  assembled  to  worship  God  in  one  congre- 
gation. This  association  of  particular  churches  or  con- 
gregations into  one  body,  may  be  extended  as  far  as 
may  be  judged  practicable  and  conducive  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

V.  The  office-bearers  of  the  church  of  Christ  may 
and  ought  to  meet  together,  not  merely  to  consult  and 
give  advice  in  matters  of  difficulty,  but  to  judge  and  de- 
termine controversies  which  may  arise  about  the  doc- 
trine and  order  of  the  church.  The  word  of  God  is 
their  rule :  they  ought  to  judge  and  determine  every 


DECLAHATION  AND   TESTIMONY.  171 

thing  according  to  it ;  if  they  do  not,  their  decisions  are 
not  to  be  received.  But  their  determinations,  if  agree- 
able to  the  Scripture,  and  warranted  by  it,  ought  to  be 
submitted  to  by  the  church.  Though  every  man  has  a 
right  to  judge  for  himself  concerning  the  determinations 
of  church  judicatories,  yet,  as  the  peace  and  unity  of  the 
church  are  matters  of  great  importance,  we  ought  to 
judge  deliberately,  to  examine  matters  by  the  word  of 
G-od,  to  beware  of  prejudice ;  and  not  to  oppose  any 
decision  of  the  courts  of  Christ,  unless  we  are  fully 
persuaded  in  our  own  minds,  that  his  truth  and  cause 
would  suffer  by  our  silence. 

YI.  In  the  present  divided  state  of  Christians,  every 
one  ought  carefully  to  inquire  what  particular  church  is 
holding  the  truths  and  ordinances  of  Christ  most  pure 
and  entire ;  and  this  consideration,  not  worldly  interest, 
conveniency,  the  influence  of  friends,  or  the  circum- 
stance of  his  being  educated  among  such  a  denomina- 
tion of  Christians,  should  determine  his  choice.  It  is 
a  mercy  to  be  educated  in  a  church  where  there  is  an 
upright  and  faithful  profession  of  the  name  of  Christ, 
and  many  examples  of  the  power  of  godliness  to  be  seen 
in  the  lives  of  church  members :  the  Lord  thus  ordering 
our  lot,  where  the  light  of  the  gospel  shines  clearly,  we 
have  an  opportunity  to  know  this  truth  in  our  early 
years ;  and  great  will  be  our  sin,  if  we  despise  this  pri- 
vilege, and  draw  back  to  the  society  of  the  corrupt.  It 
is  not,  however,  the  circumstances  of  our  education, 
among  Christians  of  a  certain  denomination,  but  the 
truth  itself,  as  expressed  in  the  word  of  G-od,  which 
ought  to  determine  us  as  to  what  particular  church  we 
should  enter  into.  If  we  continue  in  the  church  in 
which  we  had  our  education,  it  should  not  be  because 
we  were  educated  in  it,  but  because  we  find  it  a  dis- 
tinguishing  privilege   to   have   been   so,  it   being   a 


172  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

church  agreeable  to  the  pattern  given  us  in  the  word 
of  God. 

YII.  As  we  adhere  to  the  form  of  Presbyterian  church 
government,  and  do  receive  and  observe  the  order  de- 
scribed and  agreed  upon  by  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at 
Westminster,  1645,  entitled,  "  The  form  of  Presbyte- 
rial  Church  Government  and  Ordination  of  Ministers;'' 
so  we  reckon  it  a  matter  worthy  to  be  contended  for, 
as  belonging  to  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints : 
and  we  testify  against  those  who  break  it  down,  as  ene- 
mies, in  this  part  of  their  conduct,  to  the  interests  of  re- 
ligion. A  scriptural  church  government  is  a  hedge  which 
God  hath  set  about  his  vineyard;  if  it  is  taken  away,  the 
wild  beasts  will  enter  and  make  a  prey  of  the  vine.  We 
do  particularly  testify  against  the  following  opinions,  as 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  injurious  to  the  king- 
dom of  Christ :  First,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  appointed  no 
form  of  government  in  his  church ;  but  left  it  to  men — 
to  ministers  of  the  gospel,  according  to  some — to  civil 
magistrates,  according  to  others,  to  appoint  in  it  what- 
ever kind  of  government  they  should  think  most  proper. 
Secondly,  That  there  ought  to  be,  in  the  church,  an 
order  of  bishops  distinct  from  teaching  elders  or  pres- 
byters, and  superior  to  them;  and  that,  to  these  bishops, 
the  sole  or  chief  power  of  ordination  and  the  govern- 
ment of  the  church  do  belong,  either  by  authority  from 
Christ,  as  some  affirm,  or  by  authority  from  the  civil 
magistrate,  who,  as  others  affirm,  has  a  right  to  create 
such  spiritual  lords.  Thirdly,  That  there  is  no  war- 
rant or  necessity  for  ruling  elders  distinct  from  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel.  Fourthly,  That  a  particular  church 
ought  to  consist  of  no  more  than  one  worshipping  as- 
sembly or  congregation ;  it  being,  according  to  the  ad- 
vocates for  this  opinion,  improper  for  different  congre- 
gations to  unite  themselves  into  one  church,  subordi- 
nate to  one  Presbyterial  government.     Fifthly,  That 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  173 

the  power  of  ordaining  office-bearers,  of  censuring  scan- 
dalous persons,  with  the  entire  government  of  the  church, 
belongs  to  the  whole  community  of  church  members. 


ARTICLE  IX.   Of  the  Order  of  Worship. 

I.  The  order  which  we  observe  in  the  worship  of 
Grod,  is  that  prescribed  in  the  Directory,  agreed  upon 
by  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster,  in  1645, 
except  in  some  few  particulars,  for  which  we  have  no 
other  rule  than  this,  Let  all  things  be  done  to  edify- 
ing. 

II.  We  testify  against  the  following  customs,  as  con- 
trary to  the  Scripture,  and  to  the  order  of  the  most 
purely  Reformed  churches.  First,  That  of  baptizing 
privately,  or  where  no  public  assembly  is  called  to  at- 
tend on  the  dispensation  of  word  and  sacrament.  What 
may  be  done  in  extraordinary  cases,  and  in  times  of 
persecution,  is  no  rule.  It  is  plain,  that,  as  by  bap- 
tism one  is  solemnly  received  into  the  visible  church, 
so  it  ought  to  be  performed  publicly.  The  custom  of 
dispensing  it  privately,  must  either  arise  from  careless- 
ness, or  from  a  superstitious  opinion  of  the  absolute 
necessity  of  baptism  in  order  to  salvation.  As  the 
infants  of  believing  parents  are  members  of  the  visible 
church,  and  as  the  promise  is  to  them ;  so  such  parents 
should  esteem  it  their  privilege,  that  they  may  bring 
their  children  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  publicly  devote 
them  to  him  in  baptism. — Secondly,  The  reading,  in- 
stead of  the  preaching,  of  sermons  in  public,  is  another 
custom  against  which  we  testify.  It  is  directly  oppo- 
site to  the  Scripture  pattern.  Never  do  we  hear,  in 
the  Old  or  New  Testament,  of  public  teachers  taking 
a  written  paper  and  reading  it  to  the  people  for  their 
instruction.     It  is  a  burying  of  talents  in  the  earth,  if 

15* 


174  DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY. 

the  teacher  has  them ;  and  if  he  has  them  not,  he  is 
unfit  for  this  office.  It  is  not  calculated  to  promote 
general  edification;  and  never  was  practised  in  any 
church,  till  the  power  and  life  of  religion  were,  in  a 
great  measure,  decayed. 


CONCLUSION. 


I.  No  testimony  which  we  maintain  in  our  profes- 
sion will  be  accepted  of  Grod,  or  useful  in  his  church, 
if  we  contradict  it  in  our  practice.  "  Faith  is  known 
by  works,  as  the  tree  is  by  its  fruit."  Such  as  make  a 
good  profession  but  contradict  it  in  their  practice,  are 
to  be  numbered  among  the  worst  enemies  of  Christ. 
Through  their  wickedness,  the  "good  ways  of  the 
Lord  are  evil  spoken  of;"  the  avowed  enemies  of  his 
cause  are  hardened  in  their  opposition  to  it;  the  weak 
of  his  people  are  made  to  wander  and  stumble ;  and 
the  hearts  of  the  upright  are  grieved, 

II.  "  The  grace  of  Grod  that  bringeth  salvation,"  will 
effectually  teach  them  who  truly  receive  it,  to  "  deny 
all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world ;  looking 
for  that  blessed  hope"  of  the  redeemed,  and  the  appear- 
ing of  the  glory  "  of  the  great  Grod,  even  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ."  As  Christians  ought  to  abstain  from 
every  appearance  of  evil,  so  they  should  ever  follow 
that  which  is  good.  It  is  not  enough  that  they  cannot 
be  accused  of  doing  what  the  Lord  forbids ;  they  should 
be  studious  to  do  what  he  requires. 

III.  Our  Larger  Catechism,  in  describing  the  duties 
required  and  the  sins  forbidden,  under  each  of  the  ten 

175 


176  DECLARATION   AND  TESTIMONY. 

commandments,  is  an  excellent  comment  on  that  sum- 
mary of  the  divine  law,  and  ought  to  be  carefully  stu- 
died by  Christians,  that  they  may  learn  what  is  and 
what  is  not  approved  in  the  sight  of  God.  Those  who 
profess  an  adherence  to  that  catechism,  as  a  part  of  the 
confession  of  their  faith  to  the  world,  if  they  are  found 
still  cleaving  to  these  evils,  which,  by  their  profession, 
they  have  solemnly  renounced ;  and  neglecting  those 
things  which,  by  their  profession,  they  acknowledge  to 
be  a  duty,  stand,  in  a  special  manner,  self-condemned. 

IV.  The  example  of  Christians,  who,  abounding  in 
faith,  are  "  careful  to  maintain  good  works  ;'^  do  not 
think  highly  of  themselves ;  endure  tribulations  of  every 
kind,  "  as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible ;"  and  are  ani- 
mated by  a  heavenly  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  is  ex- 
ceedingly useful  in  the  church ;  being  a  means  which 
the  Lord  frequently  uses  to  convince  others,  and  to 
draw  their  attention  to  his  word.  The  exhortation  of 
Christ  should  therefore  abide  on  the  minds  of  those 
who  call  on  his  name ;  "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before 
men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.''*  It  is  thus,  that 
Christians  ^^  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish 
men,"  and  make  those  ^^  ashamed  who  falsely  accuse 
their  good  conversation  in  Christ.''f  It  is  thus  they 
approve  themselves  "  blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons 
of  God  without  rebuke,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and 
perverse  nation,  among  whom  they  shine  as  lights  in 
the  world.^l  "  This  is  the  will  of  God,"  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  his  people,  that  they  may  glorify  him  in  their 
"bodies  and  their  spirits,  which  are  his." 

V.  As  it  should  be  the  study  of  Christians  to  "  do 
good  to  all  men,"  so,  in  a  special  manner,  "  to  the 
household  of  faith.     Let  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of 

*  Matt.  V.  16.  t  1  Pet.  iii.  16.  |  Phil.  11.  16. 


DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY.  177 

our  faith  without  wavering,  and  let  us  consider  one 
another  to  provoke  unto  love  and  good  works."*  We 
should  consider  the  distresses  of  others,  that,  accord- 
ing to  the  ability  which  the  Lord  hath  given  us,  we 
may  relieve  them  :  "  but  whoso  hath  this  world's  good, 
and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his 
bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love 
of  Grod  in  him  ?"f  We  should  consider  what  is  worthy 
of  commendation  in  others,  that  we  may  imitate  and  en- 
courage them  in  it.  We  should  consider  what  is  blame- 
able  in  others,  that  we  may  avoid  it ;  that  we  may,  in 
a  friendly  manner,  warn  them  of  it,  and  that  we  may 
do  what  in  us  lies  to  prevent  the  evil  effects  of  it. 

VI.  Christ^s  "  yoke  is  easy"  and  his  "  burden  light." 
— Those  who  profess  to  have  taken  it  upon  them,  act 
quite  out  of  character,  while  they  express  a  continual 
uneasiness  at  the  restraint  which  their  profession  lays 
them  under,  from  joining  with  the  world  in  its  foolish 
and  pernicious  ways ;  and  while  they  are,  upon  every 
other  occasion,  going  as  nigh  what  is  forbidden  as  they 
possibly  can,  without  rendering  themselves  directly 
chargeable  with  it,  or  thus  liable  to  church  censure. 
Such  are  guilty  of  misrepresenting  to  the  world  those 
"ways  of  wisdom"  which  "are  pleasantness,"  and 
"her  paths,"  all  of  which  "are  peace." 

VII.  We  do  earnestly  beseech  all  into  whose  hands 
this  our  Testimony  may  come,  to  examine  the  matters 
contained  in  it  by  the  word  of  God,  to  weigh  them  in 
the  balance  of  his  sanctuary,  and  judge  whether  the 
Lord  is  not  calling  them  to  confess,  hold  fast,  and  tes- 
tify for  the  truths  expressed  in  it,  against  those  ene- 
mies who  are  labouring  to  deprive  the  present  and 
following  generations  of  the  light  of  the  glorious  gos- 
pel of  Christ.     Let  not  the  smallness  of  our  number, 

*  Heb.  X.  23,  24.  f  1  John  ill.  17. 


178  DECLARATION   AND   TESTIMONY. 

our  obscurity  in  the  world,  or  the  failing  of  those  who 
adhere  to  our  testimony,  prejudice  any  at  the  duty  to 
which  the  Lord  is  calling  them.  We  do,  particularly, 
entreat  those  of  our  brethren  in  Christ,  who  are  zealous 
to  withstand  the  general  opposition  made,  in  this  age, 
to  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  sovereign  free  grace 
through  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  adhere  to  the  Presby- 

TERIAL     FORM     OF    CHURCH     GOVERNMENT,    tO    judge 

whether  it  is  not  their  duty  to  join  with  us  in  testify- 
ing against  the  Latitudinarian  scheme  which  has 
wrought  and  is  still  working  so  much  mischief,  by  re- 
presenting one  truth  after  another  as  not  worthy  to  be 
contended  for,  till  the  whole  is  subverted,  and  particu- 
lar churches  ruined. 

"  Arise,  0  Lord,  and  let  thine  enemies  be  scattered : 
let  them  that  hate  thee  flee  before  thee."*  ^'-  Plead  the 
cause  that  is  thine  own.  Remember  how  the  foolish 
man  reproacheth  thee  daily.  Forget  not  the  voice  of 
thine  enemies  :  the  tumult  of  those  that  rise  up  against 
thee  increaseth  continually. "f  ^^  Do  good,  in  thy  good 
pleasure,  unto  ZiON  :  build  thou  the  walls  of  Jerusa- 
lem ;  so  shall  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving  be  rendered  to 
thee  in  the  church." |    Amen. 

*  Psal.  Ixviii.  1.      f  I*sal.  Ixiv.  22,  23.      %  Psal.  11.  18,  19. 


AN 

ACT 

OF   THE 

ASSOCIATE    PRESBYTERY 

OF 

PENNSYLVANIA, 

CONCERNING 

PUBLIC  covenanting; 

UNANIMOUSLY   AGREED    TO 

AT  PHILADELPHIA,  APRIL  29,  1791. 


Vow,  and  pay  unto  the  Lord  your  Qod. — Psalm  Ixxvi.  11. 


THE   NOTES,    FOR    ILLUSTRATION,    WERE    ADDED    BY   A 
MEMBER   OP    THE   ASSOCIATE    PRESBYTERY. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  work  in  which  we  desire  to  set  forward,  though 
much  opposed  and  reproached,  has  a  divine  warrant. — 
The  glory  is  due  to  the  Lord,  and  to  him  shall  the  vow 
be  performed.  He  hath  expressly  commanded  us  to 
give  this  glory  to  him:  Voiv,  saith  he,  and  pay  unto 
the  Lord  your  God.  It  is,  indeed,  a  reasonable  service. 
We  engage,  by  oath  and  covenant,  on  many  occasions, 
to  be  faithful  in  things  pertaining  to  God,  who  has  a 
primary  and  unlimited  right  to  our  obedience  and  ser- 
vice. He  calls  us  to  serve  him  openly,  and  in  the  bond 
of  fellowship  with  one  another;  therefore,  we  vow,  not 
only  each  one  by  himself,  but  jointly  and  publicly,  as 
the  people  of  God  did  in  ancient  times.  The  records 
of  the  Old  Testament  show  us,  that  this  was  frequently 
done;  and  done  for  such  reasons  as  are  of  equal  force 
at  this  day.  The  covenanting  of  the  church  in  those 
times  was  not  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  neither 
was  it  a  matter  peculiar  to  Israel  as  a  nation;  but  it 
was  giving  glory  to  the  Lord,  by  his  people  openly, 
solemnly,  and  with  one  accord,  avouching  him  as  their 
God,  acknowledging  their  dependence  on  him ;  confess- 
ing their  faith  in  the  promise  of  salvation  through  Christ ; 
and  engaging  to  observe  all  his  commandments.  It  was 
a  means  of  gathering  Israel  under  the  Lord's  banner 
after  their  backslidings.  And  they  hereby  became 
16  181 


182  INTRODUCTION. 

witnesses  against  themselves,  if  they  should  afterwards 
forsake  the  Lord's  ways,  or  corrupt  his  worship.  For 
such  reasons  as  these,  we  are  called,  in  like  manner, 
to  engage  ourselves  to  the  Lord. 

We  are  farther  confirmed  as  to  the  warrantableness 
of  this  service,  by  the  promises  which  respect  New 
Testament  times.  G-entile  believers,  it  is  said,  shall 
vow  a  vow  unto  the  Lordj  and  shall  perform  it.* 
They  shall  swear  the  Lord  liveth,  in  truth,  in  judg- 
ment, and  in  righteousness,  f  They  shall  Join  them* 
selves  to  the  Lord  in  a  perpetual  covenant  that  shall  not 
he  forgotten. \  The  grace  held  forth  in  these,  and  other 
promises  of  the  same  nature,  encourageth  us  to  essay 
what  the  Lord  hath  commanded  us.  The  duty  he  re- 
quires, he  will,  according  to  the  covenant  of  his  mercy, 
give  strength  to  perform. 

When  the  Lord  visited  his  people,  and  brought  them 
out  of  antichristian  darkness,  he  made  the  isles  which 
our  fathers  inhabited  to  wait  on  him,  and  trust  on  his 
arm. — The  danger  of  becoming  a  prey  to  the  genera- 
tion of  antichrist,  and  of  being  seduced  from  the  right 
ways  of  the  Lord  by  other  evil  instruments,  moved  the 
professors  of  religion,  in  those  troublesome  times,  to 
enter  into  solemn  engagements  to  stand  by  one  another 
in  defence  of  the  true  reformed  religion.  This  they  did 
on  various  occasions,  but  especially  about  the  year  1580, 
in  the  national  covenant  of  Scotland,  the  tenor  whereof 
follows. 

*  Isaiah  xix.  21.  f  Jer.  iv.  2.  %  Jer.  1.  5. 


AN  ACT 


CONCEBNING 


PUBLIC  COVENANTING. 


We,  all  and  every  one  of  us,  underwritten,  pro- 
test, That  after  long  and  due  examination  of  our  con- 
sciences in  matters  of  true  and  false  religion,  we  are  now 
thoroughly  resolved  in  the  truth  by  the  word  and  Spirit 
of  Grod :  and  therefore,  we  believe  with  our  hearts,  con- 
fess with  our  mouths,  subscribe  with  our  hands,  and 
constantly  affirm  before  God  and  the  whole  world,  that 
this  only  is  the  true  Christian  faith  and  religion,  pleasing 
God,  and  bringing  salvation  to  man,  which  is  now,  by 
the  mercy  of  God,  revealed  to  the  world  by  the  preach- 
ing of  the  blessed  evangel;  and  is  received,  believed, 
and  defended  by  many  and  sundry  notable  kirks  and 
realms,  but  chiefly  by  the  kirk  of  Scotland,  the  king's 
majesty,  and  three  estates  of  his  realm,  as  God's  eter- 
nal truth  and  only  ground  of  our  salvation  j  as  more 
particularly  is  expressed  in  the  Confession  of  our  faith, 

183 


184  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

established  and  publicly  confirming  by  sundry  acts  of 
parliaments,  and  now  of  a  long  time  hath  been  openly 
professed  by  the  king's  majesty,  and  whole  body  of 
this  realm  both  in  burgh  and  land.  To  the  which  con- 
fession and  form  of  religion,  we  willingly  agree  in  our 
consciences,  in  all  points,  as  unto  Grod's  undoubted  truth 
and  verity,  grounded  only  upon  his  written  word.  And, 
therefore,  we  abhor  and  detest  all  contrary  religion  and 
doctrine;  but  chiefly  all  kind  of  Papistry;  in  general 
and  particular  heads,  even  as  they  are  now  damned 
[i.  e.  condemned]  and  confuted  by  the  word  of  God,  and 
kirk  of  Scotland.  But  in  special,  we  detest  and  refuse 
the  usurped  authority  of  that  Roman  antichrist  upon 
the  Scriptures  of  God,'  upon  the  kirk,^the  civil  magis- 
trate,' and  consciences  of  men  ;'*  all  his  tyrannous  laws, 
made  upon  different  things,  against  our  Christian  liber- 
ty;^ his  erroneous  doctrine  against  the  sufl&ciency  of  the 
written  word,®  the  perfection  of  the  law,  the  ofl&ces  of 

'  By  which  he  pretends  to  give  them  authority  for  their 
meaning,  add  to,  or  take  from  them,  dispense  with  their  ob- 
ligation, forbid  or  allow  the  reading  of  them  as  he  pleaseth. 

*  Pretending  to  be  her  infallible  spouse  and  lord,  having 
power  to  appoint  whatever  offices,  officers,  laws,  ordinances 
and  ceremonies  of  worship,  or  even  objects  of  worship,  as  he 
thinks  fit. 

^  In  claiming  a  power  to  admit  them  to,  or  depose  them 
from  their  office,  and  requiring  them  to  act  as  his  tools,  on 
pain  of  absolving  his  subjects  from  all  allegiance,  if  they  do 
not  act  as  he  requires. 

*■  In  requiring  them  to  submit  implicitly  to  his  authority, 
and  submit  to  his  censures,  whether  agreeable  to  the  word 
or  not. 

'  In  forbidding  to  eat  flesh  on  Fridays  or  in  Lent,  to  la- 
bour on  certain  days  which  God  hath  ordered  us  to  work  in, 
and  to  marry  persons  allowed  by  the  Scripture. 

*  Pretending  that  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  are  in  them- 
selves obscure,  and  not  a  proper  rule  of  faith  and  manners, 
without  the  Apocrypha,  and  the  decrees  of  popes  and  coun- 
cils, and  the  sense  of  them  fixed  by  the  church. 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  185 

Christ,  and  his  blessed  evangel ;'  his  corrupted  doctrine 
concerning  original  sin/  our  natural  inability  and  rebel- 
lion to  God's  law,^our  justification  by  faith  only/°  our 
imperfect  sanctification  and  obedience  to  the  law  j"  the 
nature,  number,  and  use  of  the  holy  sacraments;  his 
five  bastard  sacraments;*^  with  all  his  rites,  ceremo- 
nies,'^ and  false  doctrine,  added  to  the  administration 
of  the  true  sacraments,  without  the  word  of  Grod:" 
his  cruel  judgments  against  infants  departing  without 

'  Pretending  that  saints  can  merit  eternal  glory  for  them- 
selves and  others.  That  saints  and  angels  are  joint  interces- 
sors with  Christ.  That  priests  share  in  his  priesthood  while 
they  pretend  to  offer  him  up  as  an  atoning  sacrifice  in  the 
mass — setting  up  images  instead  of  the  gospel,  to  manifest 
Christ  unto  men — and  good  works  in  place  of  his  justifying 
righteousness. 

*  Pretending  that  an  inward  disposition  to  evil  thoughts 
is  no  part  of  it,  and  that  this  is  done  away  in  baptism. 

'  Asserting  that  in  an  unregenerate  state  we  can  so  far 
keep  God's  law  as  to  merit  saving  grace. 

"  Maintaining  that  it  is  founded  on  our  inherent  holiness 
and  good  works,  and  not  by  the  imputation  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness. 

"  Pretending  that  believers  may  in  this  life  be  as  perfect 
as  the  law  requires. 

"  Afl&rming  that  the  sacraments  actually  work  saving 
grace  in  us,  and  besides  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  there 
are  other  five,  namely:  marriage,  ordination,  confirmation,  pe- 
nance, and  extreme  unction.  None  of  which  have  any  divine 
appointment  as  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  the  last 
three,  as  used  by  papists,  have  no  warrant  at  all  from  Scripture. 

"  Such  as  marking  the  baptized  with  the  sign  of  the 
cross  on  the  forehead  and  breast,  exorcising  the  devil  from 
him,  blowing  three  times  in  his  face,  putting  salt  in  his  mouth, 
anointing  his  nostrils  with  spittle,  and  his  breast  and  shoulder 
blades  with  oil,  and  the  crown  of  his  head  with  ointment, 
putting  a  lighted  candle  in  his  hand,  and  a  white  robe  upon 
him,  &c. 

**  Namely,  that  they  of  themselves,  or  by  the  good  inten- 
tion of  the  administrator,  do  abolish  sin,  and  confer  saving 
grace. 

16* 


186  PUBLIC   CO VEW ANTING. 

the  sacrament  :'^  his  absolute  necessity  of  baptism :  his 
blasphemous  opinion  of  transubstantiation,  or  real  pre- 
sence of  Christ's  body  in  the  elements,  and  receiving  of 
the  same  by  the  wicked,  or  bodies  of  men;'*  his  dis- 
pensing with  solemn  oaths,  perjuries,''^  and  degrees  of 
marriage  forbidden  in  the  word;'^  his  cruelty  against 
the  innocent  divorced  :'^  his  devilish  mass :  his  blas- 
phemous priesthood :  his  profane  sacrifice  for  the  sins 
of  the  dead  and  quick  :^°  his  canonization  of  men  ;^^  call- 
ing upon  angels  or  saints  departed  f^  worshipping  of 
images,^  relics/''  and   crosses;    dedicating   of   kirks, 

"  Affirming  that  infants  who  die  without  baptism,  are 
excluded  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

'"  Affirming  that  Christ's  flesh  and  blood  in  the  Lord's 
supper,  are  eaten  and  drunk  by  all  the  communicants,  how- 
ever wicked,  as  any  other  food. 

'^  Allowing  men,  for  money,  services,  or  other  advan- 
tages to  the  church,  to  swear  oaths,  or  enter  into  engage- 
ments which  they  intend  not  to  perform  ;  or  to  violate  their 
lawful  oaths  of  allegiance,  treaty,  marriage  vows,  or  other 
engagements  which  they  have  contracted. 

*'  Allowing  uncles,  nieces,  nephews,  aunts,  or  even 
brothers  and  sisters,  by  affinity  of  blood,  to  marry  one 
another. 

'"  Holding  them  guilty  if  they  marry  while  the  criminal 
party  is  alive. 

*°  Pretending,  by  the  hand  of  the  officiating  priest,  with 
a  multitude  of  antic  ceremonies,  to  offer  up  Christ  in  the 
consecrated  wafers  and  wine  of  his  supper,  as  an  atoning 
sacrifice  to  the  Father  for  the  sins  of  such  as  are  in  purga- 
tory, or  still  alive  on  the  earth. 

**'  Ceremoniously  enrolling  them  in  the  list  of  saints  fit 
to  be  worshipped,  or  served  as  subordinate  gods. 

^  Praying  to  them  for  mercies  needed,  and  thanking 
them  for  favours  received. 

"^  Such  as  pictures  or  statues  of  divine  persons,  angels, 
saints,  crosses,  &c. 

'"  Such  as  bones,  hair,  garments,  houses,  graves,  &c., 
said  to  have  once  belonged  to  Christ  or  his  saints. 


PUBLIC  COVENANTING.  187 

altars,  days  :^  vows  to  creatures  :^^  his  purgatory,  pray- 
ers for  the  dead  -^  praying  or  speaking  in  a  strange 
language  :^  his  processions  and  blasphemous  litany  -P 
multitude  of  advocates  or  mediators  :^  his  manifold  or- 
ders f^  auricular  confession  :^^  his  desperate  and  uncer- 
tain repentance  '^  his  general  and  doubtsome  faith  :^ 

^'  With  much  ceremony,  pretending  to  put  the  former  un- 
der their  protection,  and  render  them  the  property  of  some 
divine  person,  saint,  or  angel ;  and  make  the  latter  sacred 
and  venerable. 

"^  Directed  to  some  angel  or  saint,  binding  the  person 
vowing  to  their  service  and  worship. 

*'  Pretending  that  persons  who  in  life  were  neither  suflS- 
ciently  fitted  for  heaven,  nor  bad  enough  for  eternal  damna- 
tion, are,  after  death,  confined  in  a  state  of  torment,  till, 
by  their  own  miseries,  and  the  indulgences,  prayers,  and 
masses  of  priests  on  earth,  their  sins  are  fully  expiated  and 
done  away. 

"  That  is,  their  performing  public  worship  in  the  Latin 
language,  which  the  people,  and  sometimes  the  priest,  do  not 
understand. 

"  Addressing  angels,  saints,  crosses,  especially  the  Vir- 
gin Mary,  in  prayer  and  thanksgiving,  as  if  they  were  divine 
persons. 

'°  Pretending,  that  angels  and  departed  spirits  plead  our 
cause  with  God,  avert  his  wrath,  and  procure  his  favour. 

"  Of  regular  and  monkish  clergy  ;  such  as  Benedictines, 
Augustinians,  Franciscans,  Dominicans,  Carmelites,  Jesuits, 
and  of  secular  clergy ;  whether  cardinals,  archbishops, 
bishops,  deans,  priests,  deacons,  subdeacons,  acolyths,  con- 
jurers, readers,  porters. 

*•  Every  member  of  the  Romish  church  is  bound  at  least 
once  a  year  to  make  confession  even  of  their  most  secret  sins, 
by  whispering  them  into  the  priest's  ear,  in  order  to  receive 
a  judicial  absolution. 

"  Which,  however  great  and  sincere,  leaves  men  without 
any  solid  hopes  of  escaping  the  punishment  of  their  sin  in 
hell,  at  least  in  purgatory. 

•*  According  to  the  Popish  general  and  doubtsome  faith, 
we  can  make  no  particular  application  of  God's  promises  of 
pardon  and  salvation  to  ourselves  in  particular :  it  is  a  faith 


188  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

his  satisfaction  of  men  for  their  sins  ;^  his  justification 
by  works,^  Opus  Operatum;^"^  works  of  supereroga- 
tion,''® merits/^  pardons/"  peregrinations/'  and  stations  /^ 


that  includes  no  solid  persuasion  of  God's  gracious  grant  of 
salvation  in  the  gospel,  nor  believing  expectation  of  the  ful- 
filment of  his  promises;  nor  is  it  attended  with  assuring 
marks  by  which  persons  may  certainly  know  their  state  of 
grace  or  their  special  relation  to  God  as  his  children. 

"  By  donations  to  clergymen,  pilgrimages  to  images, 
churches,  tombs,  or  the  like ;  self-macerations  by  hunger, 
hard  labour,  lying  in  purgatory. 

**  Pretending,  that  though  the  sufferings  of  Christ  be  the 
meritorious  cause  of  justification,  yet  our  inherent  holiness 
and  good  works  constitute  us  formally  righteous  before  God 
as  a  judge,  and  entitle  us  to  eternal  life. 

*'  Pretending  that  the  mere  external  reception  of  the 
sacraments  is  effectual  to  forgive  or  abolish  by-past  sins,  and 
to  justify  us,  or  confer  real  grace  or  holiness. 

^^  In  which  some  saints,  as  is  pretended,  perform  more 
obedience,  and  give  more  satisfaction  for  sin  than  the  law 
and  justice  of  God  demand  for  themselves,  which  overplus  is 
put  into  the  pope's  treasury ;  that  along  with  the  supera- 
bundant merits  of  Christ,  it  may,  by  the  pope  and  his  de- 
puted priests,  be  imputed  to  such  as  have  not  a  sufficiency 
of  merit  for  themselves. 

^^  Of  congruity  or  suitableness,  by  which  the  good  works 
of  unregenerate  men  are  said  to  deserve  saving  grace  ;  and 
of  condignity  and  equal  value,  by  which  the  good  works  of 
regenerated  persons  deserve  the  eternal  happiness  of  heaven. 

"  In  which,  at  a  certain  rate  of  satisfaction  by  money, 
services,  masses  or  the  like,  the  pope  and  his  agents  pretend 
judicially  to  absolve  professed  penitents,  not  only  from  eccle- 
siastical censures,  but  from  all  obligations  to  divine  punish- 
ment in  time  and  eternity. 

*'  In  which  persons  travel  to  visit  some  church,  image, 
tomb,  or  the  like,  pretended  to  pertain  to  Christ  or  his 
saints,  in  order  to  procure  pardon  for  sin,  avert  impending 
calamities,  or  to  obtain  singular  favours. 

*^  Weekly  fasts  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  or  little 
chapels  to  pray  in  for  obtaining  indulgence  in,  or  pardon  of 
sin,  also  singing  anthems  before  Christ  and  his  mother. 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  189 

his  holy  water/^  baptizing  of  bells,^  conjuring  of 
spirits,'^  crossing,'*^  sayning/"^  anointing/^  conjuring/* 
hallowing  of  G-od's  good  creatures/"  with  the  supersti- 
tious opinion  joined  therewith  :^'  his  worldly  monarchy/^ 
and  wicked  hierarchy  :^  his  three  solemn  vows  /^  with 
all  his  shavelingSj  of  sundry  sorts  :^  his  erroneous  and 

"  Consecrated  for  sprinkling  persons  or  things,  to  sanctify 
them  for  public  worship,  or  to  protect  them  from  satanical 
influence. 

**  Washing,  anointing,  and  naming  them  after  some  saint, 
with  manifold  ceremonies,  benedictions,  and  prayers,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  and  all  this  to 
make  them  sound,  comfortably,  and  edifying  to  Christian 
souls,  and  terrible  and  confounding  to  devils. 

*^  Ceremoniously  charging  them  to  come  out  of  possessed 
persons  or  places,  or  to  answer  questions  put  to  them. 

**  Marking  with  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

*'  Sprinkling  with  holy  water,  repeating  charms  like 
prayers  over  persons  or  things. 

"  Namely,  with  consecrated  oil  or  chrism. 

*'  Ceremoniously  charging  storms,  diseases,  and  other 
troubles  to  depart,  as  if  produced  by  the  devil. 

'"  Consecrating  persons  or  things,  water,  oil,  salt,  ointment, 
priests'  garments,  altars,  temples  for  worship,  &c.,  to  render 
them  holy  and  effectual  means  of  annoying  the  devil  and  his 
agents. 

"  Namely,  that,  being  thus  sanctified,  they  deserve  a  re- 
ligious veneration. 

"  In  which  the  pope  acts  as  a  civil  prin^,  and  claims  an 
unlimited  power  over  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  particu- 
larly over  professed  Christians. 

'^  In  which  the  pope,  as  heading  the  subordinate  orders 
of  cardinals,  archbishops,  bishops,  &c.,  pretends  to  govern 
the  spiritual  concerns  of  the  church,  as  the  vicar  of  Christ. 

'*  Namely,  perpetual  celibacy,  voluntary  poverty,  and 
implicit  obedience  to  clerical  superiors. 

'*  Monks  or  friars  of  different  orders,  who  have  their 
heads  shaven  in  different  forms  to  mark  their  distinguished 
holiness. 


190  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

bloody  decrees,  made  at  Trent/^  with  all  the  subscribers 
or  approvers  of  that  cruel  and  bloody  band,  conjured 
against  the  kirk  of  Grod.^^  And  finally,  we  detest  all 
his  vain  allegories,^®  rites,  signs,  and  traditions,^®  brought 
into  the  kirk,  without  or  against  the  word  of  Grod,  and 
doctrine  of  this  true  reformed  kirk ;  to  the  which  we 
join  ourselves  willingly,  in  doctrine,  faith,  religion,  dis- 
cipline, and  use  of  the  holy  sacraments,  as  lively  mem- 
bers of  the  same  in  Christ  our  Head ;  promising  and 
swearing  by  the  great  name  of  the  Lord  our  God,  that 
we  shall  continue  in  the  obedience  of  the  doctrine  and 
discipline  of  this  kirk,  and  shall  defend  the  same  ac- 
cording to  our  vocation  and  power,  all  the  days  of  our 
lives ;  under  the  pains  contained  in  the  law,  and  dan- 
ger both  of  body  and  soul  in  the  day  of  God^s  fearful 
judgment. 

"  And  seeing  that  many  are  stirred  up  of  Satan,  and 
that  Roman  Antichrist,  to  promise,  swear,  subscribe, 
and  for  a  time  use  the  holy  sacraments  in  the  kirk  de- 
ceitfully, against  their  own  conscience ;  minding  here- 
by, fii'st,  under  the  external  cloak  of  religion,  secretly  to 
corrupt  and  subvert  God's  true  religion  within  the  kirk; 

'^  At  the  council  of  Trent,  held  between  1545  and  1563, 
the  abominations  of  popery  were  publicly  and  solemnly  es- 
tablished in  the^ame  of  Christ  and  his  Spirit,  and  a  curse 
extending  to  all  the  miseries  of  time  and  eternity,  denounced 
against  every  Protestant  on  Thursday  before  Easter. 

'■"  Namely,  The  creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV.,  formed  for  the 
full  confirmation  and  perpetual  establishment  of  the  decrees 
of  the  council  of  Trent ;  the  articles  of  which  all  that  enter 
into  ofl&ce  or  military  orders,  in  the  Romish  church,  are 
sworn  to  believe,  maintain,  and  teach  their  people,  under 
pain  of  the  displeasure  of  Almighty  God,  and  his  holy  apos- 
tles, Peter  and  Paul. 

"  In  the  interpretation  of  Scripture,  or  in  the  dispensing 
the  eucharist. 

**  All  which  are  sinful  and  superstitious. 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  191 

and  afterwards,  when  time  may  serve,  to  become  open 
enemies  and  persecutors  of  the  same,  under  vain  hope 
of  the  pope's  dispensation,  devised  against  the  word  of 
God,  to  his  greater  confusion,  and  their  double  con- 
demnation in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus :  We,  there- 
fore, willing  to  take  away  all  suspicion  of  hypocrisy, 
and  of  such  double  dealing  with  God  and  his  kirk,  pro- 
test, and  call  the  Searcher  of  all  hearts  for  witness, 
That  our  minds  and  hearts  do  fully  agree  with  this  our 
confession,  promise,  oath,  and  subscription ;  so  that  we 
are  not  moved  with  any  worldly  respect,  but  are  per- 
suaded only  in  our  conscience,  through  the  knowledge 
and  love  of  God's  true  religion,  imprinted  in  our  hearts 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  we  shall  answer  to  him  in  the 
day  when  the  secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  disclosed. 

^^  And  because  we  perceive,  that  the  quietness  and 
stability  of  our  religion  and  kirk  both  depend  upon  the 
safety  and  good  behaviour  of  the  king's  majesty,  as 
upon  a  comfortable  instrument  of  God's  mercy  granted 
to  this  country,  for  the  maintaining  of  his  kirk,  and 
ministration  of  justice  among  us;  we  protest  and  pro- 
mise with  our  hearts,  under  the  same  oath,  hand-writ, 
and  pains,  that  we  shall  defend  his  person  and  authori- 
ty with  our  goods,  bodies,  and  lives,  in  the  defence  of 
Christ,  his  evangel,  liberties  of  our  country,  ministra- 
tion of  justice,  and  punishment  of  iniquity,  against  all 
enemies  within  this  realm  or  without,  as  we  desire  our 
God  to  be  a  strong  and  merciful  defender  to  us  in  the 
day  of  our  death,  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  to  whom,  with  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit, be  all  honour  and  glory  eternally. — Amen." 

After  much  defection  and  backslidings,  this  covenant 
was  renewed  in  a  bond  suited  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  time,  in  the  year  1638 ;  and  in  the  year  1643,  the 


192  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

steadfast  friends  of  tlie  reformation  cause  in  Great  Bri- 
tain and  Ireland,  being  at  the  same  time  engaged  in  a 
severe  conflict  for  civil  rights  and  privileges,  entered 
into  a  covenant,  entitled,  "  The  Solemn  League  and 
Covenant  of  Scotland,  England,  and  Ireland/'  The 
tenor  whereof  follows : 

"  We,  noblemen,  barons,  knights,  gentlemen,  citi- 
zens, burgesses,  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  commons 
of  all  sorts,  in  the  kingdoms  of  Scotland,  England,  and 
Ireland,'  by  the  providence  of  Grod,  living  under  one 
king,  and  being  of  one  reformed  religion,  and  having 
before  our  eyes  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  advancement 
of  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
the  honour  and  happiness  of  the  king's  majesty,  and 
his  posterity,  and  the  true  public  liberty,  safety,  and 
peace  of  the  kingdoms,  wherein  every  one's  private  con- 
dition is  included ;  and  calling  to  mind  the  treacherous 
and  bloody  plots,  conspiracies,  attempts,  and  practices 
of  the  enemies  of  God  against  the  true  religion,  and  pro- 
fessors thereof  in  all  places,  especially  in  these  three 
kingdoms,  ever  since  the  reformation  of  religion  ;  and 
how  much  their  rage,  power,  and  presumption  are,  of 
late,  and  at  this  time,  increased  and  exercised,  whereof 
the  deplorable  state  of  the  church  and  kingdom  of  Ire- 
land, the  distressed  state  of  the  church  and  kingdom 
of  England,  and  the  dangerous  state  of  the  church  and 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  are  present  and  public  testimo- 

'  It  is  alleged  by  many  in  this  land,  that  none  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Ireland  entered  into  the  solemn  league  and 
covenant.  This  is  far  from  being  true,  for  the  English  par- 
liament made  an  ordinance  requiring  the  Protestants  in  Ire- 
land to  take  the  covenant;  in  consequence  of  which,  about 
the  year  1643,  near  one  hundred  thousand  did  enter  into  it. 
See  Brown's  History  of  the  Church  in  Ireland,  page  313. 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  193 

nies;  we  have  now  at  last,  (after  other  means  of  suppli- 
cation, remonstrance,  protestations,  and  suffering,)  for 
the  preservation  of  ourselves  and  our  religion  from  utter 
ruin  and  destruction,  according  to  the  commendable 
practice  of  these  kingdoms  in  former  times,  and  the 
example  of  Grod's  people  in  other  nations,  after  mature 
deliberations,  resolved  and  determined  to  enter  into  a 
mutual  and  solemn  league  and  covenant,  wherein  we 
all  subscribe,  and  each  one  of  us  for  himself,  with  our 
hands  lifted  up  to  the  Most  High  God,  do  Swear : 

"  I.  That  we  shall  sincerely,  really,  and  constantly, 
through  the  grace  of  Grod,  endeavour,  in  our  several 
places  and  callings,  the  preservation  of  the  reformed  re- 
ligion in  the  church  of  Scotland,  in  doctrine,  worship, 
discipline,  and  government,  against  our  common  ene- 
mies ;  the  reformation  of  religion  in  the  kingdoms  of 
England  and  Ireland,  in  doctrine,  worship,  discipline, 
and  government,  according  to  the  word  of  Grod,  and 
the  example  of  the  best  reformed  churches;  and  shall 
endeavour  to  bring  the  churches  of  God  in  the  three 
kingdoms,  to  the  nearest  conjunction  and  uniformitj' 
in  religion,  confession  of  faith,  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, directory  for  worship  and  catechism ;  that  we,  and 
our  posterity  after  us,  may  as  brethren  live  in  faith  and 
love ;  and  the  Lord  may  delight  to  dwell  in  the  midst 
of  us. 

'■'■  II.  That  we  shall,  in  like  manner,  without  respect 
of  persons,  endeavour  the  extirpation^  of  popery,  pre- 

-  The  extirpation  spoken  of,  is  not  of  popes  and  prelates, 
but  popery  and  prelacy,  (that  is,  church  government  by  arch- 
bishops, &c.,)  not  by  fire  and  sword,  but  according  to  the  word 
of  God,  every  one  in  his  place  and  station.  It  means  no  more 
than  what  was  said  by  our  Lord,  Matt.  xv.  13 — "  Every  plant 
which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted  shall  be  rooted 
up."  The  Secession  church  disapproves  of  all  persecution  for 
conscience'  sake,  and  as  the  word  is  understood  by  some  in 
a  sanguinary  sense,  we  do  not  make  use  of  it  in  covenanting. 
17 


194  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

lacy,  (that  is,  church  government  by  archbishops, 
bishops,  their  chancellors,  and  commissaries,  deans, 
deans  and  chapters,  archdeacons,  and  all  other  ecclesi- 
astical officers,  depending  on  that  hierarchy,)  supersti- 
tion, heresy,  schism,  profaneness,  and  whatsoever  shall 
be  found  to  be  contrary  to  sound  doctrine,  and  the 
power  of  godliness:  lest  we  partake  in  other  men's 
sins;  and  thereby  be  in  danger  to  receive  of  their 
plagues ;  and  that  the  Lord  may  be  one,  and  his  name 
one,  in  the  three  kingdoms. 

"  III.  We  shall,  with  the  same  sincerity,  reality,  and 
constancy,  in  our  several  vocations,  endeavour  with  our 
estates  and  lives  mutually  to  preserve  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  the  parliaments,  and  the  liberties  of  the 
kingdoms;  and  to  preserve  and  defend  the  king's  ma- 
jesty, person,  and  authority,  in  the  preservation  and 
defence  of  the  true  religion  and  liberties  of  the  king- 
doms f  that  the  world  may  bear  witness  with  our  con- 
sciences of  our  loyalty,  and  that  we  have  no  thought 
or  intentions  to  diminish  his  majesty's  just  power  and 
greatness. 

''IV.  We  shall  also,  with  all  faithfulness,  endeavour 
the  discovery  of  all  such  as  have  been,  or  shall  be,  in- 
cendiaries, malignants,  or  evil  instruments,  by  hinder- 

'  Our  reformers  did  hereby  swear,  that  as  their  main  aim 
was  to  act  in  the  preservation  and  defence  of  the  true  religion 
and  liberties  of  the  kingdom,  so  they  were  resolved  to  defend 
the  king's  person  and  authority  as  far  as  the  cause  of  his  per- 
son and  authority  could  consist  with,  and  be  subordinate  to 
that  main  end.  To  allege  that  those  who  adhere  to  the  solemn 
league  in  a  suitableness  to  our  circumstances,  in  these  United 
States,  are  bound  to  the  king  and  parliament  of  Great  Britain, 
is  as  ridiculous  as  to  say,  that  because  we  adhere  to  the  Old 
Testament,  therefore  we  are  bound  to  the  ceremonial  law : 
if  any  obligation  arise  from  our  solemn  covenants,  with  re- 
gard to  civil  government,  it  would  apply  only  to  the  govern- 
ment under  which  we  live. 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  195 

ing  the  reformation  of  religion,  dividing  the  king  from 
his  people,  or  one  of  the  kingdoms  from  another,  or 
making  any  factions,  or  parties  amongst  the  people, 
contrary  to  this  league  and  covenant ;  that  they  may 
be  brought  to  public  trial,  and  receive  condign  punish- 
ment, as  the  degree  of  their  offences  shall  require  or 
deserve,  or  the  supreme  judicatories  of  both  kingdoms 
respectively,  or  others  having  power  from  them  for 
that  effect,  shall  judge  convenient. 

"  V.  And  whereas  the  happiness  of  a  blessed  peace 
between  these  kingdoms,  denied  in  former  times  to 
our  progenitors,  is  by  the  good  providence  of  God 
granted  unto  us,  and  hath  been  lately  concluded,  and 
settled  by  both  parliaments ;  we  shall  each  one  of  us, 
according  to  our  place  and  interest,  endeavour  that 
they  may  remain  conjoined  in  a  firm  peace  and  union 
to  all  posterity ;  and  that  justice  may  be  done  upon 
the  wilful  opposers  thereof  in  the  manner  expressed  in 
the  preceding  article. 

"  VI.  We  shall  also,  according  to  our  places  and 
callings,  in  the  common  cause  of  religion,  liberty,  and 
peace  of  the  kingdoms,  assist  and  defend  all  those  that 
enter  into  this  league  and  covenant,  in  the  maintaining 
and  pursuing  thereof;  and  shall  not  suffer  ourselves, 
directly  or  indirectly,  by  whatsoever  combination,  per- 
suasion, or  terror,  to  be  divided  and  withdrawn  from 
this  blessed  union  and  conjunction,  whether  to  make 
defection  to  the  contrary  part,  or  to  give  ourselves  to  a 
detestable  indifferency  or  neutrality  in  this  cause,  which 
so  much  concerneth  the  glory  of  God,  the  good  of  the 
kingdom,  and  honour  of  the  king;  but  shall  all  the  days 
of  our  lives,  zealously  and  constantly  continue  therein, 
against  all  opposition,  and  promote  the  same  according 
to  our  power,  against  all  lets  and  impediments  what- 
soever ;  and  what  we  are  not  able  ourselves  to  suppress 
or  overcome,  we  shall  reveal  and  make  known,  that  it 


196  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

may  be  timely  prevented,  or  removed :  all  which  we 
shall  do  as  in  the  sight  of  God. 

''  And,  because  these  kingdoms  are  guilty  of  many 
sins  and  provocations  against  God,  and  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  as  is  too  manifest  by  our  present  distresses  and 
dangers,  the  fruits  thereof;  we  profess  and  declare 
before  God  and  the  world,  our  unfeigned  desire  to  be 
humbled  for  our  own  sins,  and  for  the  sins  of  these 
kingdoms ;  especially  that  we  have  not,  as  we  ought, 
valued  the  inestimable  benefit  of  the  gospel,  that  we 
have  not  laboured  for  the  purity  and  power  thereof,  and 
that  we  have  not  endeavoured  to  receive  Christ  in  our 
hearts,  nor  to  walk  worthy  of  him,  in  our  lives,  which 
are  the  causes  of  other  sins  and  transgressions  so  much 
abounding  amongst  us ;  and  as  our  true  and  unfeigned 
purpose,  desire,  and  endeavour  for  ourselves,  and  all 
others  under  our  power  and  charge,  both  in  public  and 
in  private,  in  all  duties  we  owe  to  G-od  and  man,  to 
amend  our  lives,  and  each  one  to  go  before  another  in 
the  example  of  a  real  reformation ;  that  the  Lord  may 
turn  away  his  wrath  and  heavy  indignation,  and  esta- 
blish these  churches  and  kingdoms  in  truth  and  peace. 
And  this  covenant  we  make  in  the  presence  of  Almighty 
God,  the  searcher  of  all  hearts,  with  a  true  intention  to 
perform  the  same,  as  we  shall  answer  at  that  great  day, 
when  the  secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  disclosed ;  most 
humbly  beseeching  the  Lord  to  strengthen  us  by  his 
Holy  Spirit  for  this  end ;  and  to  bless  our  desires  and 
proceedings  with  such  success  as  may  be  deliverance 
and  safety  to  his  people,  and  encouragement  to  other 
Christian  churches,  groaning  under,  or  in  danger  of  the 
yoke  of  antichristian  tyranny,  to  join  in  the  same,  or 
like  association  and  covenant,  to  the  glory  of  God,  the 
enlargement  of  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
peace  and  tranquillity  of  Christian  kingdoms  and  com- 
monwealths." 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  197 

In  consequence  of  this  very  solemn  engagement, 
jointly  to  defend  and  to  promote  the  interests  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  against  which  the  malice  of  so  many 
enemies  was  then  working,  a  Confession  of  Faith,  a 
Larger  and  Shorter  Catechism,  a  Form  of  Presbyterial 
Church  Grovernment,  and  a  Directory  for  the  Public 
"Worship  of  Grod,  were  agreed  upon  by  the  Assembly 
of  Divines  at  Westminster,  with  Commissioners  from 
the  church  of  Scotland,  that  in  a  joint  adherence  to 
these,  this  union  of  the  churches  through  Britain  and 
Ireland  might  be  confirmed,  and  that  they  might  stand 
fast  ill  one  spirit^  and  in  one  mind,  striving  together  for 
the  faith  of  the  gospel. 

The  kingdom  of  Christ  not  being  of  this  world,  revo- 
lutions and  changes  in  civil  governments  do  not  alter  our 
duty  as  church  members;  "as  we  acknowledge  that 
it  was  not  only  lawful,  but  highly  expedient  for  the 
church  of  Scotland  to  enter  into  the  most  solemn  en- 
gagements, as  she  did  in  the  National  Covenant,  and 
in  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant  of  the  three  na- 
tions, to  abide  by  the  doctrine  taught,  and  the  order 
established  in  that  church ;  to  study  the  preservation 
of  the  reformed  religion,  the  removing  of  those  corrup- 
tions and  disorders  which  hindered  its  progress,  and  the 
uniting  of  its  friends  in  the  same  profession  of  the  faith, 
and  to  study  that  purity  of  life  and  conversation  which 
becometh  the  gospel,  so  we  acknowledge  these  engage- 
ments are  still  binding  on  us.  Not  that  we  judge  every 
thing  in  the  manner  of  covenanting  used  by  the  church 
of  Scotland  in  former  times  a  proper  example  for  us  to 
follow,  or  that  we  judge  the  form  of  words  they  used, 
still  binding  as  an  oath  upon  us.  As  to  what  may  be 
called  the  civil  part  of  these  covenants,  it  is  what  we 
neither  have,  nor  ever  had  any  thing  to  do  with. 
Nothing  of  that  kind  has  a  place  in  the  bond  which  our 
brethren  in  Scotland  use  in  covenanting ;  they  judged 


198  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

it  improper  to  mix  civil  and  religious  matters  in  such 
covenants ;  and  we  are  of  the  same  mind  with  them. 

^^  But  that  we  may  not  be  chargeable  with  deceiving 
either  the  world,  or  one  another,  by  a  general  profes- 
sion of  adherence  to  these  engagements  of  our  ances- 
tors, not  explained  : — 1.  We  do  more  particularly  de- 
clare, that,  as  our  ancestors  engaged  to  hold  fast  and 
defend  the  doctrine  received  by  them,  and  by  the  other 
churches  of  the  reformation,  against  those  who  were  at 
that  time  its  most  remarkable  enemies  in  Britain,  name- 
ly, the  Papists,  and  others  whose  zeal  for  Episcopal 
power  and  for  superstitious  ceremonies,  together  with 
their  persecuting  spirit,  made  them  be  justly  considered 
as  enemies  to  the  reformation;  so  the  same  engage- 
ments lie  on  us  to  hold  fast  and  defend  the  same  truth, 
against  all  who  now  do,  or  afterwards  may  oppose  it, 
in  that  part  of  the  world  where  we  live. 

"  2.  We  declare,  that  as  our  ancestors  engaged  to 
study  the  preservation,  the  purity,  and  increase  of  the 
church  of  Christ  in  Britain ;  so  the  same  engagements 
lie  on  us  to  study  the  preservation,  the  purity,  and  the 
increase  of  the  church  of  Christ  in  the  United  States 
of  North  America,  or  wherever  Providence  may  order 
our  lot. 

*^3.  We  declare,  that  as  our  ancestors  engaged  to 
assist  each  other  in  maintaining  the  cause  of  Christ 
against  its  adversaries,  to  study  personal  reformation, 
and  to  perform  the  duties  incumbent  on  them,  as 
members  of  civil  society,  towards  superiors,  inferiors, 
or  equals ;  so  the  same  engagements  lie  on  us  to  walk, 
in  all  these  respects,  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith 
we  are  called. 

"  4.  Finally,  We  declare,  that  it  is  our  duty,  relying 
on  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  engage  jointly 
in  a  public  solemn  covenant,  as  our  ancestors  did,  to 
endeavour  a  faithful  performance  of  these  and  all  other 


iPUBLtO  COVSl^ANTtNa.  1919 

duties  which  the  word  of  God  requires,  especially  of 
those  duties  which  are  most  opposed,  and  the  perform- 
ance of  which  church  members  are  most  apt  to  neglect, 
or,  through  fear  of  reproach,  and  hurt  to  their  worldly 
interest,  to  be  deterred  from/^* 

The  Associate  Presbytery  (now  the  General  Asso- 
ciate Synod)  in  Scotland,  consisting  at  that  time  of 
about  twenty  ministers,  did,  in  the  year  1743,  renew 
these  covenants  in  the  following  bond,  to  which  was 
prefixed  an  acknowledgment  of  sins : 

"  We,  all,  and  every  one  of  us,  though  sensible  of 
the  deceitfulness  and  unbelief  of  our  own  hearts,  and 
however  frequently  perplexed  with  doubts  and  fears  re- 
specting our  actual  believing;  yet  desiring  to  essay,  in 
the  Lord's  strength,  and  in  obedience  to  his  command,  to 
glorify  God — by  believing  his  word  of  grace  contained 
in  his  covenant  of  promise ;  and  in  the  faith  of  his  pro- 
mise, to  devote  ourselves  unto  the  Lord  in  a  covenant 
of  duty :  We  do,  with  our  hands  lifted  up  to  the  Most 
High  God,  hereby  profess,  and  before  God,  angels, 
and  men,  solemnly  declare,  That  through  the  grace  of 
God,  and  according  to  the  measure  of  his  grace  given 
unto  us,  We  do,  with  our  whole  hearts,  take  hold  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  only  propitiation  for 
our  sins ;  his  Righteousness,  as  the  only  foundation  of 
our  access  to  and  acceptance  with  God;  his  Covenant 
of  free  and  rich  promises,  as  our  only  charter  for  the 
heavenly  inheritance;  his  Word,  for  our  perfect  and 
only  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  his  Spirit,  for  our  alone 
guide,  to  lead  us  into  all  truth,  revealed  in  his  holy 
word — unto  which  nothing  at  any  time  is  to  be  added, 
whether  by  new  revelations  of  the  Spirit,  or  traditions  of 
men.  We  avouch  the  Lord  to  be  our  God.  And,  in 
the  strength  of  his  promised  grace,  we  promise  and 

*  See  Declaration  and  Testimony,  page  95,  96. 


200  PUBLIC  COVENANTING. 

swear  by  the  Great  Name  of  the  Lord  our  God, 
that  we  shall  walk  in  his  way,  keep  his  judgments  and 
commandments,  and  hearken  to  his  voice :  And  parti- 
cularly that  we  shall,  by  the  Lord's  grace,  continue  and 
abide  in  the  profession,  faith,  and  obedience  of  the 
aforesaid  true  reformed  religion — in  doctrine,  worship, 
Presbyterial  church  government  and  discipline;  and 
that  we  shall,  according  to  our  several  stations,  places, 
and  callings,  contend  and  testify  against  all  contrary 
evils,  errors,  and  corruptions;  particularly,  Popery, 
Prelacy,  Deism,  Arianism,  Arminianism,  and  every 
other  error  subversive  of  the  doctrine  of  grace;  also 
Independency,  Latitudinarian  tenets,  and  other  evils 
named  in  the  above  confession  of  sins. 

^^  In  like  manner,  we  promise  and  swear,  that,  by  all 
means  which  are  lawful  and  warrantable  for  us,  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God,  the  approven  and  received 
standards  of  this  church,  and  our  known  principles — 
we  shall,  in  our  several  stations  and  callings,  endeavour 
the  reformation  of  religion  in  England  and  Ireland,  in 
doctrine,  worship,  discipline,  and  government,  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God.  And  to  promote  and  advance 
our  covenanted  conjunction  and  uniformity  in  religion. 
Confession  of  Faith,  and  Catechisms,  Form  of  Church 
Government,  and  Directory  for  Worship — as  these  were 
received  by  this  church. 

"And  in  regard  we  are  taught  by  the  word  of  God, 
and  bound  by  our  covenants.  National  and  Solemn 
League,  to  live  together  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  love 
to  one  another,  and  to  encourage  one  another  in  the 
work  and  cause  of  the  Lord,  and  that,  denying  all  un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world:  There- 
fore, in  dependence  on  the  Lord's  grace  and  strength,  we, 
in  the  same  manner,  do  promise  and  swear.  That  we 
shall,  in  our  several  places  and  callings,  encourage  and 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  201 

strengthen  one  another's  hands  in  pursuing  the  end 
and  design  of  this  our  solemn  Oath  and  Covenant;  and 
that  we  shall  endeavour  a  life  and  conversation  becoming 
the  gospel  of  Christ :  and  that,  in  our  personal  callings, 
and  particular  families,  we  shall  study  to  be  good  ex- 
amples to  one  another  of  godliness  and  righteousness; 
and  of  every  duty  that  we  owe  to  G-od  and  man :  iVnd 
that  we  shall  not  give  up  ourselves  to  a  detestable  in- 
differency  and  neutrality  in  the  cause  of  Christ;  but 
denying  ourselves  and  our  own  things,  we  shall,  above 
all  things,  seek  the  honour  of  Grod,  and  the  good  of  his 
cause  and  people :  And  that,  through  grace,  forsaking 
the  counsels  of  flesh  and  blood,  and  not  leaning  upon 
carnal  confidences,  we  shall  endeavour  to  depend  upon 
the  Lord,  to  walk  by  the  rule  of  his  word,  and  to 
hearken  to  his  voice  by  his  servants.  In  all  which, 
professing  our  own  weakness,  we  earnestly  pray  Grod, 
who  is  the  Father  of  mercies,  through  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  to  be  merciful  unto  us;  and  to  enable  us,  by 
the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  we  may  do  our 
duty,  unto  the  praise  of  his  grace  in  the  churches. 
Ameny 

Since  that  time  none  have  been  admitted  by  that  Synod 
to  the  ministry,  who  have  not  entered  into  that  bond.* 
Such  of  the  people  under  their  inspection  as  have  will- 
ingly ofiered  themselves,  and  were  found  to  have  a 
competent  measure  of  knowledge,  to  be  free  of  scandal, 
and  to  have  a  life  and  conversation  becoming  the  gos- 
pel, have  been  admitted  to  enter  into  it.  None  have 
been  excluded  from  church  communion,  for  not  join- 
ing in  that  duty,  except  those  who  were  known  to  be 
despisers,  contemners,  and  slighters  of  it.  To  admit 
persons  of  this  description  into  our  fellowship,  would 


*  The  application  of  this  rule  was  suspended,  while  the 
Testimony  enacted  in  1804  was  under  consideration  of  Synod. 


202  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

be  to  defeat  the  great  design  of  our  covenanting,  whicli 
is  to  unite  church  members  in  the  same  confession  of 
the  truth,  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  their  own  mutual 
advantage. 

Thus  the  church  of  Scotland  did  long  ago  engage 
itself  in  a  very  solemn  manner  to  the  Lord;  and 
though  manifold  backslidings  and  fearful  breaches  of 
covenant  have  taken  place  in  that  church,  yet,  through 
the  mercy  of  the  Lord,  a  testimony  has  still  been  main- 
tained against  the  backsliding  party ;  a  remnant  has 
been  preserved  in  times  of  general  defection;  and 
one  generation  after  another  have  been  appearing  as 
witnesses  for  God,  acknowledging,  and  at  certain 
seasons  renewing,  their  covenant  obligations  to  him. 

Though  we  are  removed  far  from  that  place  of  the 
world  where  our  fathers  served  the  Lord,  we  have  the 
same  encouragement  to  trust  in  him  which  they  had, 
and  we  are  under  the  same  obligations  which  they  were 
under  to  be  steadfast  in  his  cause,  and  faithful  in  his 
service;  and  these  obligations,  primarily  arising  from 
the  law  of  God,  have  been  directly  acknowledged  by 
us,  in  professing  our  adherence  to  the  principles  of  the 
church  of  Scotland,  as  they  wei-e  stated  in  times  of  re- 
formation, and  contended  for  by  the  Lord^s  witnesses 
in  times  of  backsliding. 

The  Lord's  way  is  described  in  his  word  and  marked 
by  the  footsteps  of  his  people:  Concerning  it,  this 
direction  is  given,  Stand  ye  in  the  way^  and  see,  and 
ask  for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  way,  and  walk 
therein;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your  souls.  Jer.  vi.  26. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT  OF  SINS. 


ThereforEj  in  obedience  to  the  call  of  God,  who 
is  saying,  Return^  ye  backsliding  children;  in  reliance 
on  his  promise,  in  which  he  is  saying,  Iivill  heal  you?' 
hackslidings ;  and  after  the  commendable  example  of 
his  people  in  former  times,  we  desire  to  be  found  re- 
turning to  him,  acknowledging,  that  ice  have  sinned 
with  our  fathers^  vce  have  committed  iniquity,  loe  have 
done  iciclcedly.     Psalm  cvi.  6. 

The  mercy  of  the  Lord  toward  his  church,  and 
toward  that  part  of  it  with  which  we  stand  more  im- 
mediately connected,  has  been  exceedingly  great.  Wc 
will  mention  the  loving-kindness  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
praises  of  the  Lord;  according  to  all  that  the  Lord 
hath  bestowed  on  us,  and  the  great  goodness  toward 
the  house  of  Israel,  ichich  he  hath  bestoiccd  on  them; 
according  to  his  mercies,  and  according  to  the  multi- 
tude of  his  loving-kindnesses.  He  brought  our  fathers 
out  of  the  horrible  darkness  of  the  antichristian  king- 
dom, into  his  marvellous  light,  by  making  known  the 
glorious  gospel  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  among  them. 
He  gave  them  pastors  according  to  his  own  heart;  men 
zealous  for  God,  and  ready  to  face  danger,  distress, 
and  death  in  his  service.  The  word  was  preached  in 
much  purity,  and  with  the  Holy  Spirit  from  heaven; 
and  though  enemies  were  afflicting  the  church  of  God 
in  the  land  of  our  fathers  from  its  infancy,  yet  they  pre- 
vailed not  against  it.  The  power  of  the  mighty  failed, 
the  Lord  brought  down  their  strength  to  the  earth.    The 


204  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

wise  were  taken  in  their  own  craftiness;  the  Lord  turned 
their  counsels  into  foolishness. 

This  deliverance  from  the  damnable  heresies,  the  hor- 
rible idolatries,  and  the  cruel  bondage  of  the  Romish 
antichrist,  the  Lord  wrought  for  our  fathers,  while 
they  were  in  no  wise  better,  or  more  deserving  of  that 
favour  than  other  nations,  whom  he  at  the  same  time 
passed  by,  which  we  desire  to  acknowledge  to  the  praise 
of  the  glory  of  his  grace.  0  the  depth  of  tlie  riches  both 
of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God !  how  unsearch- 
able are  his  Judgments ^  and  his  ways  past  finding  out! 
Rom.  xi.  33. 

The  Lord  magnified  his  mercy  to  the  isles  of  Britain 
and  Ireland,  particularly  to  the  church  of  Scotland,  in 
carrying  on  his  work,  till  its  purity  in  doctrine,  its  good 
order  in  worship  and  government,  and  its  reformation 
from  the  Romish  superstitions  and  abuses,  made  it  a 
praise  in  the  earth.  Nor  ought  we  to  forget,  that  he 
manifested  great  kindness  after  a  general  apostacy,  by 
raising  up  a  body  of  witnesses,  who  appeared  against 
it,  and  with  whom  we  in  this  land  are  particularly 
connected. 

But  our  fathers,  though  they  saw,  yet  the  greater 
part  of  them  understood  not  the  works  of  the  Lord; 
they  remembered  not  the  years  of  the  right  hand  of  the 
Most  High.  In  the  day  when  he  delivered  them,  they 
provoked  him  to  anger.  Some  of  them,  lusting  after 
evil  things,  set  their  face  to  go  back  to  that  wretched 
servitude,  out  of  which  the  Lord  had  mercifully  and 
wonderfully  brought  them.  Many  sought  their  own 
things  rather  than  the  things  which  are  Christ's;  and 
many  expressed  an  aversion  to  submit  themselves  to 
the  order  of  the  Lord's  house.  In  all  which  evils  we, 
their  children,  have  been  too  much  inclined  to  follow 
them.  Many  among  us  have  returned,  if  not  to  Popery, 
yet  to  some  one  or  other  of  the  abominations  of  Pope- 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  205 

ry ;  particularly  those  abjured  errors  of  the  Romish 
Antichrist,  which  stand  in  a  manifest  opposition  to  the 
doctrine  of  free  grace  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  in- 
terests of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  are  regarded  by  few, 
except  in  so  far  as  men  suppose  a  pretended  regard  to 
these  will  be  subservient  to  their  own  worldly  interests. 
The  Lord's  commandments  are  counted  grievous.  The 
rules  he  hath  given  to  direct  us  concerning  the  worship, 
discipline,  and  government  of  his  church,  are  generally 
neglected  or  opposed ;  and  in  their  place  are  substituted 
the  devices  of  men.  Mercies  of  ancient  date  being 
graciously  continued,  are  new  to  us  every  day.  The 
streams  of  the  water  of  life  which  the  Lord  made  to 
break  forth  among  our  fathers,  still  flow  to  us  ;  but  we 
have  not  been  thankful,  and  have  been  disposed  to  ob- 
serve lying  vanities,  forsaking  our  own  mercy. 

The  Lord  brought  our  fathers  under  solemn  cove- 
nant engagements  to  be  his  people,  to  abide  in  the  pro- 
fession they  had  made  of  his  truth,  to  walk  in  his  ways, 
and  to  stand  by  each  other  in  opposing  the  abomina- 
tions of  Antichrist,  in  defending  themselves  from  the 
bloody  rage  of  the  Popish  faction,  and  in  promoting 
the  reformation  of  religion  according  to  the  rule  of  the 
word  :  but  a  great  part  of  them  lied  unto  God  with 
their  tongues,  for  their  heart  was  not  right  with  him  ; 
temptation  arising  soon  made  this  manifest ;  they  were 
not  steadfast  in  his  covenant;  fear  of  the  cross  of 
Christ,  and  love  to  this  present  world,  together  with  a 
deceived  heart,  turned  multitudes  aside  from  following 
the  Lord.  And  though  we  in  this  age  have  not  been 
exposed  to  such  fiery  trials  as  they  were,  yet  we  have 
in  like  manner  broken  the  Lord's  bonds,  and  cast  his 
cords  from  us.  These  solemn  engagements  to  the  most 
high  G-od,  were  ignominiously  burnt  in  the  last  age ; 
and  they  are  ignominiously  buried  under  manifold  re- 
proaches in  this  age.  Our  fathers  turned  aside  like  a 
18 


206  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

bow  that  shoots  deceitfully.  Falling  from  the  good 
profession  they  had  made,  they  submitted,  many  of 
them  willingly,  to  the  usurped  authority  of  princes  and 
prelates  over  the  house  of  Grod,  to  rites  and  ceremonies 
of  men's  devising,  to  the  ministry  of  those  who  were 
not  sent  of  God,  or  who  were  not  faithful  in  his  service, 
and  to  oaths  and  engagements  inconsistent  with  the 
solemn  covenant  engagements  they  had  come  under  to 
him  who  is  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords;  and 
these  iniquities  are  either  approved,  or  made  light  of, 
by  the  body  of  this  generation. 

When  our  fathers  turned  aside  from  the  right  ways 
of  the  Lord,  whosoever  among  them  departed  from  evil 
made  himself  a  prey.  Those  who  openly  testified 
against  the  iniquities  of  the  times,  who  kept  the  word 
of  Christ's  patience,  and  who  confessed  the  truth  which 
his  enemies  denied,  namely,  that  he  is  the  only  King 
and  Head  of  his  church,  had  trials  of  cruel  mockings, 
of  imprisonments,  of  tortures,  of  banishments,  and  not 
a  few  of  them  were  persecuted  unto  death ;  and  many 
of  the  present  generation  are  bringing  the  blood  of  these 
witnesses  of  Jesus  on  their  head,  by  reproaching  them 
as  fools  who  suffered  in  vain,  and  by  speaking  evil  of 
the  cause  in  defence  of  which  they  laid  down  their 
lives. 

The  Lord  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our  sins,  nor 
rewarded  us  according  to  our  iniquities.  It  would  have 
been  just  with  him  to  have  left  our  fathers  under  that 
yoke  of  Episcopal  tyranny,  which  they  had  so  sinfully 
taken  upon  their  necks ;  yea,  as  by  this  apostacy  they 
had  set  their  faces  towards  the  antichristian  church  of 
Rome,  and  were  once  and  again  at  the  very  borders  of 
that  kingdom  of  darkness,  it  would  have  been  just  with 
him  to  have  left  them  to  the  will  of  those  who  were 
intent  to  draw  them  into  it ;  but  he  being  full  of  com- 
passion, forgave  their  iniquity ,  and  destroyed  them  not} 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  207 

yea,  many  a  time  he  turned  Ms  anger  away,  and  did 
not  stir  up  all  his  wrath.  He  rose  for  their  help,  and 
delivered  them  from  those  who  were  too  strong  for 
them.  They  had,  and  we  have  good  cause  to  sing  that 
song,  1/  it  had  not  been  the  Lord  who  was  on  our  side, 
now  may  Israel  say ;  if  it  had  not  been  the  Lord  who 
was  on  our  side,  when  men  rose  up  against  us ;  then 
they  had  swallowed  us  up  quick,  when  their  wrath  was 
kindled  against  us ;  then  the  waters  had  overwhelmed 
us,  the  stream  had  gone  over  our  soul;  then  the  proud 
waters  had  gone  over  our  soul.  Blessed  be  the  Lord 
who  hath  not  given  us  a  prey  to  their  teeth.  Our  soul 
is  escaped  as  a  bird  out  of  the  snare  of  the  f older ;  the 
snare  is  broken,  and  we  are  escaped.  Our  help  is  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  made  heaven  and  earth. 
Psal.  cxxiv.  But  many  never  observed,  and  others 
soon  forgot,  the  mighty  works  of  the  Lord  :  after  they 
had  rest,  they  did  evil  again  before  him.  The  privi- 
leges transmitted  to  us  as  the  fruits  of  these  deliver- 
ances which  the  Lord  wrought  for  his  church  in  former 
times,  are  not,  we  confess,  esteemed  and  improved  as 
they  ought  to  be  by  us ;  we  have  not  been  duly  hum- 
bled for  the  iniquity  of  our  fathers;  we  have  been 
adding  to  the  roll  of  our  public  sins,  and  increasing  the 
cause  of  the  Lord's  controversy,  by  the  hand  we  have 
had  in  the  trespass  of  our  own  day.  The  judgments 
which  our  sins  deserved  have  been  turned  away,  and 
mercies  have  been  multiplied  to  us.  The  Lord  hath 
smitten  us,  but  not  so  as  to  make  a  full  end :  he  hath 
stayed  his  rough  wind  in  the  day  of  his  east  wind;  yet 
for  all  this  we  have  sinned  still. 

We  farther  confess,  that  such  of  us  as  have  continued 
to  acknowledge  the  lawfulness  of  the  covenant  engage- 
ments already  mentioned,  and  the  perpetual  obligation 
of  them  upon  us  in  this  church,  have  not  kept  them 
duly  in  mind,  nor  walked  according  to  them,  framing 


208  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

our  lives  according  to  the  holy  profession  we  have 
made.  Many  of  us  have  first  slighted,  and  then  more 
directly  contemned  the  oath  we  were  under  to  the  Lord 
Grod  of  our  fathers.  Because  of  this  perfidy,  a  dark 
cloud  hangs  over  us.  0  God,  thou  hast  cast  us  off, 
thou  hast  scattered  us,  thou  hast  been  displeased;  0 
turn  thyself  to  us  again.  Thou  hast  made  the  earth  to 
tremble  ;  thou  hast  broken  it ;  heal  the  breaches  there- 
of, for  it  shaketh.  Thou  ha^t  showed  thy  people  hard, 
things;  thou  hast  made  us  to  drink  the  wine  of  as- 
tonishment. Thou  hast  given  a  banner  to  them  that 
fear  thee,  that  it  may  be  displayed  because  of  the  truth. 
Psal.  Ix.  1—5. 

We  also  confess  our  negligence  in  not  labouring 
more  in  our  places  and  stations  to  prepare  the  way  for 
renewing  our  solemn  covenant  engagements  in  this 
land,  where  the  ends  of  them  are  so  much  opposed  by 
apostacy  from  the  faith  of  Christ,  by  a  multitude  of 
heresies,  by  the  prevailing  of  a  lukewarm  spirit,  and  by 
a  general  contempt  of  the  commandments  of  the  Lord. 
The  breaches  and  scatterings  which  have  recently  taken 
place,  by  which  we  are  reduced  to  such  a  small  and 
weak  handful,  we  acknowledge  to  be  a  sad  fruit  of  this 
negligence,  and  a  warning  to  us  to  be  on  our  guard 
against  it  in  time  to  come. 

Endeavouring  to  search  and  try  our  way,  we  find 
just  cause  to  confess  that  innumerable  evils  have  com- 
passed us  about.  The  great  and  leading  sin  of  this,  as 
of  former  generations  living  within  the  bounds  of  the 
visible  church,  is  the  rejection  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Lord, 
who  is  come  to  save  sinners.  They  have  forsaken  him 
who  is  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them 
out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water. 
By  unbelief  they  turn  away  from  the  only  Saviour, 
count  the  God  of  truth  a  liar,  and  seal  their  own  con- 
demnation.    The  multitude  are  manifestly  treading  in 


PUBLIC  COVENANTING.  209 

the  footsteps  of  the  unbelieving  Jews,  who  despised 
Christ ;  and  we  all  desire  to  take  shame  and  confusion 
of  face  to  ourselves,  as  partakers  of  them  who  esteemed 
him  not.  That  knowledge  of  him,  for  the  excellency 
of  which  Paul  counted  all  things  loss,  is  greatly  want- 
ing among  us.  The  faith  of  many  who  profess  to  be- 
lieve on  him,  is  feigned ;  for  they  have  not  their  fruit 
unto  holiness ;  and  real  Christians  are  not  strong  in 
faith,  giving  glory  to  Grod :  their  leanness  testifies 
against  them. 

We  confess,  that  as  to  an  humbling  sense  of  our 
weakness  and  emptiness,  a  constant  and  entire  reliance 
upon  the  God  of  all  grace,  a  cheerful  submission  to  his 
will,  a  fervent  zeal  for  his  glory,  and  an  habitual  con- 
formity to  his  word  in  our  practice,  we  come  far  short 
of  what  the  Lord  requires,  of  what  is  attainable  by  be- 
lievers, and  of  what  many  of  the  saints  who  have  gone 
before  us  have  attained.  We  have  dragged  along  very 
heavily  ]  while  the  lively  faith  of  the  love  of  Christ 
would  have  sweetly  constrained  us  to  run  in  the  way 
of  his  commandments. 

The  land  we  live  in  is  full  of  sin  against  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel.  The  Lord's  day  is  almost  every  where 
profaned ;  the  morality  of  it  is  by  many  denied ;  his 
name  is  awfully  blasphemed ;  his  word  is  neglected; 
the  institutions  of  his  house  are  despised.  Many  wor- 
ship him  not  at  all  ]  and  many  in  ways  of  their  own 
devising.  The  truth  of  the  gospel  is  quite  unknown 
to  multitudes  ;  and  by  others  it  is  denied  or  perverted. 
A  deluge  of  abominable  heresies  overflow  the  land, 
and  the  blackest  vices  either  enter  with  them,  or  fol- 
low after  them.  Very  few  lament  the  spiritual  plagues 
which  are  wasting  the  generation ;  yea,  rather  being 
accustomed  to  see  the  evils  mentioned,  and  others  of 
the  same  kind,  we  have  lost  a  due  sense  of  the  hate- 
fulness  of  them.  Because  iniquity  hath  abounded, 
18* 


SlO  PUBLIC   COVENANTrifG. 

the  love  of  many  hath  waxed  cold.  It  is  a  rare  thing 
to  find  one  among  us  whose  exercise  is  like  that  of  him 
who,  appealing  to  God,  said,  /  beheld  the  transgressors 
and  was  grieved ^  because  they  kept  not  thy  word. 
Psal.  cxix.  158. 

The  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  joyful 
sound,  is  yet  heard  in  our  land.  Our  candlestick  has 
not,  as  that  of  other  apostatizing  churches,  been  re- 
moved out  of  its  place.  But  as  to  many,  the  word 
preached  has  not  profited  them,  not  being  mixed 
with  faith  in  them  who  heard  it :  it  has  been  a  sa- 
vour of  death  unto  death  to  them.  Though  the  Lord 
hath  called  them  earnestly  and  frequently;  though 
he  hath  spoken  to  them  by  his  messengers,  rising 
early  and  sending  them ;  though  they,  more  hardened 
in  sin,  have  farther  departed  from  him  :  yet  the  cor- 
ruption of  their  nature,  that  root  of  bitterness,  so 
springs  up  in  many  even  of  those  who  daily  attend 
on  the  ministry  of  the  word,  as  to  show  that  the 
strength  of  sin  was  never  broken  in  them.  And 
though  the  Lord  has  made  the  word  efiectual  to  the 
salvation  of  some;  yet  we  confess  that,  in  us  all, 
there  remains  an  enmity  against  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace^  which  he  hath  manifested  in  his  kind- 
ness towards  us,  through  Christ  Jesus.  Ephes.  ii.  7. 
We  have  rebelled  against  the  counsel  of  the  Most 
High ;  we  have  loved  strangers,  and  in  the  obstinacy 
and  perverseness  of  our  heart,  said,  that  after  them  we 
would  go. 

One  of  Satan's  principal  devices  is,  to  render  the 
ministry  of  the  gospel  contemptible  :  and,  in  the  right- 
eous judgment  of  (xod,  he  has  been  sufi'ered  to  practise 
it  very  much  in  this  land,  to  the  ruin  of  an  ignorant  and 
careless  generation,  who  regard  not  the  institutions  and 
the  order  of  Christ's  house.  Many  take  upon  them  to 
carry  the  Lord's  message,  concerning  whom  he  says. 


PUBLIC  COVENANTING.  2ll 

Beholdj  lam  against  them  that  prophesy  false  dreams  j 
and  do  tell  them,  and  cause  my  people  to  err  hy  their 
lies  and  hy  their  lightness ;  yet  I  sent  them  not,  nor 
cmamanded  them, ;  therefore  they  shall  not  profit  this 
people  at  all,  saith  the  Lord.  Jer.  xxiii.  32.  The 
church  has  not  called  them;  but  in  the  height  of 
their  presumption  they  have  judged  themselves  fit 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry;  though  while  they 
desire  to  teach  others,  they  neither  understand  what 
they  say,  nor  whereof  they  affirm.  Knowing  that 
they  neither  had  nor  could  obtain  the  ordinary  call 
which  ministers  of  the  gospel  have  in  the  choice  of 
the  people,  in  their  ordination  after  trial,  and  ordi- 
nation by  a  presbytery,  they  have  pretended  an  ex- 
traordinary, or  immediate  call,  by  the  Spirit  of  Grod; 
but  they  have  seen  vanity,  and  lying  divination,  say- 
ing. The  Lord  saith;  and  he  hath  not  sent  them. 
Ezek.  xiii.  6.  It  is  the  sin  of  multitudes  in  this 
land,  that  they  have  hearkened  to  such,  while  the 
gospel  of  Christ  could  obtain  no  place  among  them. 
Thus  they  have  verified  what  was  foretold  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  The  time  loill  come,  when  they  will  not 
endure  sound  doctrine,  hut  after  their  own  lusts  shall 
they  heap  to  themselves  teachers,  having  itching  ears; 
aiid  they  shall  turn  away  their  ears  from  the  truthj 
and  shall  he  turned  unto  fahles.  2  Tim.  iv.  3,  4. 
Thus  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  till  they  both  fall 
into  the  ditch.  A  wonderful  and  horrible  thing  is 
committed  in  the  land,  the  prophets  prophesy  falsely. 
Jer.  V.  30,  31.  And  one  sort  of  deceivers  pave  the 
way  for  another;  and  the  people  love  to  have  it  so.  We 
confess,  that  this  evil  being  common,  though  on  this 
account  it  ought  to  have  been  so  much  the  more 
lamented,  yet  it  has  seemed  light  to  us:  and  we 
have  not  expressed  a  due  sense  of  the  injury  done 
by   it   to   the   kingdom  of  our   Lord  Jesus   Christ, 


212  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

in  suitable  endeavours  that  the  snare  laid  by  these 
fowlers  might  be  broken,  and  the  souls  they  have 
caught  delivered. 

Instead  of  being  ready  to  forsake  all  for  Christ, 
many  in  this  land,  without  duly  considering  whether 
the  necessity  was  such  as  would  justify  them  in  the 
sight  of  God,  have  left  his  church,  his  ordinances,  and 
the  society  of  his  people:  thinking  to  better  their 
worldly  circumstances,  they  have  removed  out  of  the 
hearing  of  the  gospel,  and  few  of  them  have  manifested 
any  proper  concern  to  enjoy  it  again.  Hence  their 
children,  growing  up  in  ignorance  of  the  true  God,  and 
Jesus  Christ,  whom  he  hath  sent,  either  live  as  hea- 
thens, or  become  a  ready  prey  to  seducers. 

As  we  desire  to  lament  the  manifest  neglect  and  con- 
tempt of  the  means  of  grace  in  the  land,  so  we  acknow- 
ledge, that  in  this,  as  in  other  articles  of  the  Lord's 
controversy  with  the  generation,  we  dare  not  plead  inno- 
cence. We  have  not  duly  valued  the  privileges  belong- 
ing to  the  visible  church,  nor  have  we  been  so  desirous 
as  we  ought  to  dwell  where  the  Lord  Jesus  dwells. 
When  at  any  time  we  have  been  situated  far  from  pub- 
lic ordinances,  and  could  not  assemble  with  the  Israel 
of  God,  to  praise  him  in  the  gates  of  Zion,  which  he 
loves  more  than  all  the  dwellings  of  Jacob,  we  have 
had  little  or  nothing  at  all  of  that  thirst  for  God,  for  the 
living  God,  which  has  made  his  people,  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, cry  out,  in  the  words  of  the  Psalmist, 
When  shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God?  Psalm 
xliii.  2.  0  God,  thou  art  my  God,  early  will  I'  seek 
thee :  my  flesh  hngeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land 
where  no  water  is :  to  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory,  so  as 
I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary.  Psalm  Ixiii.  1 — 3. 
Farther,  we  have  done  little ;  not  what  we  might  and 
ought  to  have  done,  for  maintaining  the  ordinances  of 
Christ  in  their  purity,  where  they  already  are,  and  for 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  213 

promoting  the  knowledge  of  his  name  in  dark  corners 
of  the  land. 

The  discipline  and  government  of  the  church,  as 
taught  in  the  word  of  Grod,  and  maintained,  against  the 
craft  and  malice  of  many  powerful  adversaries,  by  our 
ancestors,  is  become  an  object  of  contempt  to  the  body 
of  the  present  generation.  The  Lord's  vineyard  is 
exposed  to  the  spoiling  of  all  who  pass  by,  the  hedge 
thereof  being  broken  down ;  and  it  is  by  many  considered 
as  belonging  to  the  happiness  of  our  times,  that  men  are 
generally  indifferent  about  these  things.  The  divine 
institution  of  Presbyterial  church  government  is  denied 
by  not  a  few,  who  still  bear  the  name  of  Presbyterians. 
And  to  those  who  have  erred  from  the  faith,  those  who 
are  irregular  and  offensive  in  their  practice,  yea,  to  the 
visibly  wicked,  the  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace  are 
administered;  contrary  to  the  commandment  of  the  law- 
giver and  Head  of  the  church,  who  saith,  Give  7iot  that 
which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs.  Matt.  vii.  6.  Thus  many 
have  been  hardened  in  their  evil  way,  by  men  of  whom 
the  Lord  gives  this  account;  They  say  still  unto  them 
who  despise  me,  The  Lord  hath  said,  Ye  shall  have 
peace;  and  they  say  unto  every  one  that  walketh  after 
the  imagination  of  his  own  heart,  No  evil  shall  come 
upon  you.  Jer.  xxiii.  17.  The  exhortation  has  been  for- 
got or  contemned  by  many  bearing  the  character  of  gos- 
pel ministers,  which  is  directed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to 
every  one  in  that  office.  If  thou  take  forth  the  precious 
from  the  vile,  thou  shalt  he  ajs  my  mouth.  Jer.  xv.  19. 
TVe  confess,  as  to  ourselves,  that  we  have  not  been 
duly  grieved  for  this  evil ;  nor  have  we  laboured  as  we 
ought,  in  our  places  and  stations,  to  prevent  the  spread- 
ing of  it.  To  many  among  us,  the  yoke  of  Christ  has 
been  a  burden,  and  they  have  been  restrained  from  fevil 
rather  by  a  fear  of  rendering  themselves  liable  to  church 
censure,  than  by  a  fear  of  offending  God :  and  have 


214  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

been  disposed  to  join  with  the  world  in  revellings, 
in  drunkenness,  in  filthy  or  profane  conversation, 
and  in  unjust  practices,  when  they  imagined  their 
sin  might  be  hid  from  the  courts  of  the  Lord's 
house.  We  desire,  each  of  us,  to  take  shame  and 
confusion  of  face  unto  ourselves,  according  to  the 
hand  we  have  had  in  these  and  other  trespasses, 
by  which  the  anger  of  the  Lord  hath  been  kindled 
against  us. 

The  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament  are  slighted 
by  many  in  this  land :  some  absolutely  deny  them  to 
be  of  standing  use  in  the  church;  and  a  multitude  of 
ignorant  persons  consider  them  rather  as  mere  cere- 
monies, without  meaning,  than  as  visible  signs  and  seals 
of  the  covenant  of  grace.  We  confess,  that  we  have 
not  observed  and  improved,  as  we  ought,  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus,  signified,  represented,  and  sealed  to 
the  children  of  the  promise,  in  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
tism. The  fountain  opened  to  the  vile,  and  the  pro- 
mise of  God  confirmed  to  us,  in  this  ordinance,  in 
which  he  is  saying,  1  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon 
you,  and  ye  shall  he  clean;  from  all  your  filfhiness,  and 
from  all  your  idols,  I  will  cleanse  you,  have  been  much 
neglected  by  us.  Therefore  are  our  spots  so  many, 
and  so  loathsome. 

An  earnest  desire  to  meet  with  the  Lord  at  his  holy 
table,  has  not  been  manifested  by  us,  in  a  careful  ex- 
amination of  our  state  and  exercise,  according  to  the 
word ;  in  fervent  and  frequent  supplication  at  the  throne 
of  grace,  that  we  might  obtain  mercy  and  find  grace  to 
help  in  time  of  need;  and  in  flying  from  all  our  labours 
and  frames  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the  sure  refuge  of  the 
guilty,  God  having  set  him  forth  to  be  a  propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood.  Therefore,  that  ordinance 
has  not  been  so  sweet  and  so  useful  to  us,  as  it  is  to 
those  who,  by  a  lively  faith,  discern  the  Lord's  body. 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  215 

Our  profiting  by  such  solemn  occasions  has  not  ap- 
peared in  humility,  in  thankfulness,  in  fixedness  of 
heart  trusting  on  the  Lord,  in  care  to  avoid  all  ap- 
pearance of  evil,  in  readiness  to  obey  the  commands 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  died  for  us,  that  whetlier  we 
vmhe  or  sleep,  ice  should  live  together  with  him :  and  in 
desires  after  that  full  and  uninterrupted  communion 
with  him  which  the  saints  have  in  glory. 

The  instruction  of  youth  is  grievously  neglected  in 
this  land.  Many,  being  ignorant  and  heathenish  them- 
selves, take  no  thought  about  the  spiritual  interests  of 
their  posterity;  and  many,  unmindful  of  the  solemn 
engagements  they  came  under,  when  they  publicly  de- 
voted their  children  to  the  Lord  in  baptism,  have  not 
been  careful  to  season  their  minds  with  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  concerning  the  ruin  of  mankind  in  the  first 
xidam,  the  grace  of  God  manifested  in  Christ  Jesus, 
and  the  duty  required  of  us ;  and,  instead  of  restraining 
them  from  that  way  which  seems  right  in  the  eyes  of 
foolish  youth,  (but  of  which  the  end  is  death,)  many 
parents,  unfaithful  to  God,  and  injurious  to  the  souls 
of  their  own  children,  have  readily  yielded  to  their  join- 
ing with  vain  persons,  and  to  their  hearing  the  instruc- 
tion which  causeth  to  err.  An  evil  example  is  set  be- 
fore children,  by  parents  who  neglect  family  and  secret 
prayer,  remember  not  the  Lord's  day  to  keep  it  holy, 
and  do  in  no  wise  frame  their  lives  according  to  the 
rule  of  the  word ;  and  children,  following  their  parents 
in  carelessness  and  wickedness,  at  length  exceed  them : 
so  that  one  generation  rises  up  worse  than  another. 
We  all  confess  that,  as  heads,  or  as  members  of  fami- 
lies, we  have  failed  in  our  duty,  and  have  not  been  con- 
cerned, as  we  ought,  that  race  after  race  should  serve 
the  Lord.  We  confess,  that  the  ignorance,  vanity,  and 
aversion  to  godliness,  which  prevail  among  the  rising 
generation,  is  a  lamentable  fruit  of  this  negligence,  and 


2116  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

a  spiritual  plague,  by  whicli  the  Lord  is  punishing  the 
sin  of  such  as  neglected  the  proper  season  for  instruct- 
ing them,  and  is  one  of  those  signs  which  give  us  just 
cause  to  fear,  lest  there  be  a  more  dreadful  outpouring 
of  the  Lord's  wrath  than  has  hitherto  taken  place  in 
this  land. 

The  spirit  of  prayer  remains  with  few  in  this  gene- 
ration. The  greater  part  absolutely  neglect  the  duty ; 
and  others  go  through  a  form  of  it,  rather  as  a  burden- 
some task,  and  as  a  work  which  they  imagine  will 
merit  salvation  to  them,  than  as  wretched,  and  misera- 
ble, and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked  sinners,  taking  hold 
of  the  promise  of  God,  and  pleading  it  as  the  ground 
of  their  hope.  We  confess,  that  the  sin  cleaving  to  our 
prayers  is  more  than  enough  to  condemn  us.  Igno- 
rance, self-confidence,  wavering  thoughts,  want  of  due 
reverence  of  Grod,  and  unbelief,  which  counts  him  a 
liar,  have  run  through  our  prayers,  and  have  rendered 
these,  like  our  other  services,  so  defective  and  impure. 
Farther,  we  have  frequently  grieved  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  quenched  his  motions ;  so  that  we  have  been  much 
left  alone  in  this  duty,  have  become  careless  in  the  per- 
formance of  it,  and  have  not  waited  on  Grod  for  an  an- 
swer to  our  requests;  and  finding  the  exercise,  thus 
managed,  unprofitable  to  us,  we  have  been  tempted,  if 
not  persuaded,  to  lay  it  aside. 

The  earthliness  of  our  minds  has  manifested  itself 
many  ways;  particularly  in  vain  and  unprofitable  con- 
versation on  the  Lord's  day;  attending  ordinances  with 
little  concern  about  the  presence  and  blessing  of  the 
Lord,  we  have  not  heard  his  voice,  nor  seen  his  glor}^, 
nor  enjoyed  that  refreshing  communion  with  him, 
which  has  been  the  attainment  of  many  of  the  saints 
who  have  gone  before  us.  Impressions  made  on  our 
minds  by  the  word  have  not  been  retained.  Convic- 
tions of  sin  have  too  frequently  ended  in  carnal  security. 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  217 

We  have  often  been  as  the  door  on  its  hinges,  moving 
backward  and  forward,  yet  still  remaining  in  the  same 
place;  though  favoured  with  a  greater  abundance  of 
the  means  of  instruction  than  almost  any  age  or  gene- 
ration before  us. 

The  Lord  hath  given  us  a  large  and  good  land,  and 
hath  preserved  us  in  the  enjoyment  of  many  valuable 
privileges,  the  continuance  of  which  is  the  more  to  be 
esteemed,  as  it  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  divine 
goodness,  and  long-suifering  towards  a  very  guilty 
people.  But,  like  Israel,  we  have  not  discerned  the 
hand  that  distributes  these  blessings  to  us.  Many 
waste  the  bounties  of  Providence  in  drunkenness  and 
revellings;  and  set  their  hearts  chiefly  on  earthly 
things,  making  these  their  god.  Few  are  humbly  and 
thankfully  acknowledging  the  goodness  of  Grod  in  pro- 
viding for  their  outward  subsistence ;  or  patiently  bearing 
the  rod,  when  afflicted  by  worldly  losses ;  and  many  are 
sinning  so  much  the  more,  according  to  the  abundance 
bestowed  on  them ;  their  table  has  become  a  snare,  and 
their  prosperity  a  trap. 

Many  lamentable  instances  of  hypocrisy  and  insta- 
bility have  appeared  among  us;  offences  have  abound- 
ed; great  occasion  has  been  given  to  the  enemies  of 
the  Lord  to  blaspheme.  Thus  common  prejudices 
against  the  cause  and  testimony  of  Jesus  have  been 
strengthened,  and  a  careless  ungodly  generation  hard- 
ened in  sin.  Yet  after  all  the  injury  we  have  seen 
done  to  the  interests  of  religion  by  the  untenderness 
and  unholiness  of  others,  we  have  not  duly  attended  to 
the  exhortation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Let  him  that 
standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall.  We  have  many  times 
been  puffed  up  in  the  conceit  of  our  own  innocence 
and  steadfastness,  and  have  not  been  grieved  when  we 
saw  transgressors  injuring  the  church,  destroying  their 
own  souls,  and  provoking  the  Lord  to  anger.  Neither 
19 


218  PUBLIC  COVENANTING. 

has  the  outbreaking  of  sin  in  others  led  us  to  those 
humbling  views  of  the  deceit  and  desperate  wickedness 
of  our  own  hearts  which  it  ought  to  have  done. 

Instead  of  labouring  as  we  ought  for  the  good  of  our 
neighbours,  and  of  our  brethren,  we  have  often  been  a 
snare  to  them.  Out  of  our  own  hearts  have  proceeded 
sinful  words,  and  the  poison  flowing  from  our  tongues 
has  infected  others;  there  has  been  little  in  our  speech 
and  behaviour  which  could  profit  others,  and  much  of 
a  pernicious  tendency.  Many  watch  rather  to  triumph 
over  the  falls  of  their  brethren,  than  to  prevent  them. 
Malignity  is  often  visible  in  hard  speeches  and  ill- 
grounded  surmises.  The  love  which  thinketh  no 
evil,  which  envieth  not,  which  seeketh  not  its  own,  is 
scarcely  to  be  found. 

We  confess,  that  the  light  of  the  gospel  having 
shined  so  brightly  in  this  church,  and  we  have  come 
under  so  many  solemn  engagements  to  abide  in  the 
profession  of  the  truth,  to  bear  witness  to  it  in  the 
midst  of  those  who  oppose  or  despise  it,  and  to  frame 
our  lives  according  to  it,  our  sin  is  exceeding  great 
before  the  Lord.  He  hath  many  times  warned  us, 
chastised  us,  and,  contrary  to  men's  expectation, 
raised  us  up  when  we  were  brought  very  low  for  our 
iniquities;  yet,  like  our  fathers,  after  we  had  rest  we 
have  done  evil  again  before  him.  Thus,  as  our  trans- 
gressions are  most  heinous  in  the  sight  of  God,  he 
might  justly  make  our  plagues  wonderful.  If  thou, 
Lord,  shouldest  mark  iniquities,  0  Lord,  who  shall 
stand?  but  there  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  may- 
est  he  feared.  .  Our  help  is  from  the  Lord,  who  made 
heaven  and  earth.  Desiring  to  lay  hold  on  this  help 
as  brought  near  to  every  one  of  us  in  the  promise.  He 
will  not  suffer  thy  feet  to  he  moved;  he  that  keepeth  thee 
will  not  slumber :  we  proceed  thus  openly  and  with  one 
consent  to  give  ourselves  to  the  Lord.     We  will  go  in 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  219 

the  strength  of  the  Lord  God :  we  will  make  mention 
of  thy  righteousness,  of  thine  ordy,  0  God,  our  strength 
and  our  Redeemer. 

Thus,  endeavouring  to  have  the  eye  of  faith  fixed  on 
the  Lord  Jesus,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world, 
and  to  loathe  ourselves  in  our  own  sight,  for  our  ini- 
quities and  our  abominations  already  mentioned,  to- 
gether with  the  other  evils  of  our  heart  and  life,  which 
are  more  than  can  be  numbered;  and  being  persuaded 
that  it  is  our  duty  in  obedience  to  the  Lord,  and 
according  to  the  commendable  practice  of  his  people  in 
former  times,  in  opposition  to  the  course  of  a  genera- 
tion, who  have  deeply  revolted  from  the  God  of  their 
fathers,  directly,  publicly,  and  jointly,  to  engage  our- 
selves by  oath  and  covenant  on  his  side;  we  now, 
therefore,  agree  to  enter  into  the  following  solemn 
covenant  engagement: 

The  Solemn  Covenant  Engagement  unto  Duties. 

We,  all  and  every  one  of  us,  though  weak  in  our- 
selves, yet  knowing  that  we  can  do  all  things  through 
Christ,  who  strengtheneth  us,  in  reliance  on  the  grace 
contained  in  the  covenant  of  promise,  as  sufficient  for 
us  in  devoting  ourselves  to  the  Lord  in  a  covenant 
of  duty;  We  do,  with  OUR  HANDS  LIFTED  UP 
to  the  Most  High  GtOD,  hereby  profess,  and,  before 
Grod,  angels,  and  men,  solemnly  declare,  that  we  de- 
sire to  give  glory  to  the  Lord,  by  believing  with  the 
heart,  confessing  with  the  mouth,  and  subscribing 
with  the  hand,  that  in  him  we  have  righteousness  and 
strength.  Desiring  to  be  found  in  Christ,  we  ac- 
knowledge him  to  be  the  only  propitiation  for  our 
sins :  and,  through  divine  aid,  according  to  the  measure 
of  grace  given  unto  us,  we  do,  with  the  wiole  heart, 
take   hold  of  bis  surety  righteousness;,  as  the  only 


220  PUBLIC    COVENANTING. 

ground  of  our  access  to,  and  acceptance  with  God  ;  we 
set  our  seal  to  all  the  promises  of  GrOD,  which  are  in 
him  YEA  and  in  him  amen,  receiving  them  as  our 
charter  for  the  heavenly  inheritance;  we  avow  his 
word  to  be  our  perfect  and  only  rule  of  faith  and  prac* 
tice:  and,  confessing  the  blindness  of  our  minds, 
through  which  we  are  inclined  to  err  from  the  right 
ways  of  the  Lord,  we  take  his  Spirit  for  our  only 
guide,  to  lead  us,  in  the  use  of  appointed  means,  into 
all  truth  revealed  in  his  holy  word,  renouncing  all 
those  pretended  new  revelations  of  the  Spirit,  and 
traditions  of  men,  which  add  to  it,  or  take  away  from 
it.  We  avouch  the  Lord  to  be  our  God;  and  in  the 
strength  of  his  promised  grace,  we  PROMISE  and 
SWEAR,  by  the  great  and  holy  name  of  the  Lord 
OUR  God,  that  we  shall  unfeignedly  endeavour  to  walk 
in  his  ways,  to  keep  his  commandments,  and  to 
hearken  to  his  voice,  in  love  to  him  who  hath  deliver- 
ed us  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies;  and  to  serve 
him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before 
him  all  the  days  of  our  life. 

And  seeing  many  at  this  time  in  a  state  of  progres- 
sive apostacy  from  the  cause  and  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  many  snares  are  laid  to  draw  us  after 
them;  though  sensible  that  we  are  in  ourselves  as  liable 
to  go  astray  as  any,  yet,  entreating  the  Lord  to  hold  up 
our  goings  in  his  paths,  that  our  footsteps  slip  not,  and 
trusting  that  through  his  mercy  we  shall  not  be  moved 
for  ever,  we  do  solemnly  engage  before  Him  who 
liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  that  in  every  place  where  we 
may  in  providence  be  called  to  reside,  and  during  all 
the  days  of  our  life,  we  shall  continue  steadfast  in  the 
faith,  profession,  and  obedience  of  the  true  reformed 
religion,  in  doctrine,  worship,  Presbyterial 
CHURCH  government,  and  discipline,  as  the  same 
is  held  forth  to  us  in  the  word  of  God,  and  received  in 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  221 

this  church,  and  testified  for  by  it,  against  the  mani- 
fold errors*  and  Latitudinarian  schemesf  prevailing  in 
the  United  States  of  North  America. 

*  The  errors  or  heresies  alluded  to  here  and  in  the  pre- 
ceding acknowledgment  of  sins,  are  such  as  the  following : 
That  the  light  within  men,  or  conscience,  is  the  rule  of  faith 
and  practice :  that  there  was  no  proper  covenant  made  with 
the  first  Adam,  as  the  head  and  representative  of  his  poste- 
rity ;  nor  any  proper  imputation  of  his  first  transgression  to 
them ;  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  original  sin,  or  the  cor- 
ruption of  our  whole  nature ;  but  that  all  men  have  a  natu- 
ral capacity  of  willing  and  doing  what  is  spiritually  good  and 
pleasing  to  God ;  that  the  election  of  such  as  shall  be  saved 
is  not  to  be  ascribed  to  God's  good  pleasure  alone,  but  also 
to  his  foresight  of  their  faith  and  good  works ;  that  Christ 
died  for  all  mankind  to  obtain  a  possibility  of  salvation,  or 
some  other  good  for  them ;  but  not  as  a  proper  surety  in  the 
stead  of  a  certain  number  given  him  of  the  Father,  to  obtain 
the  absolute  certainty  of  their  actual  and  everlasting  salva- 
tion; that  persons  may  truly  believe  in  Christ,  or  have  a  faith 
of  the  same  kind  or  nature  with  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  and 
yet  finally  perish ;  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  final  destruc- 
tion or  everlasting  damnation  for  any  of  the  human  race; 
that  the  offer  of  salvation  in  the  gospel  is  made  to  none  but 
awakened  and  penitent  sinners  ;  that  no  assurance  or  confi- 
dence, that  we  in  particular,  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  shall  be  saved,  belongs  to  the  nature  of  saving 
faith;  and  other  errors  specified  in  the  Declaration  and 
Testimony  for  the  Doctrine  and  Order  of  the  Church  of 
Christ,  published  by  the  Presbytery. 

f  Latitudinarians  are  such  as  hold,  that  the  open  and 
avowed  errors  or  evil  practices  of  persons  who,  on  other  ac- 
counts, are  charitably  judged  to  be  united  to  Christ,  should 
not  hinder  them  from  being  admitted  to  church  communion, 
and  to  the  sacramental  seals  of  the  new  covenant.  Accord- 
ing to  this  scheme,  a  church  can  bear  no  consistent  testimony 
against  such  errors  or  evil  practices;  nay,  in  a  short  time, 
she  may  have  no  members,  but  the  approvers  of  them  ;  such 
having  as  free  access  to  her  communion  as  any  other :  ac- 
cording to  this  scheme,  no  church,  as  such,  can  hold  fast 
what  she  has  as  to  doctrine,  worship,  discipline,  or  govern- 
ment; for  surely  a  church  cannot  be  said  to  hold  in  theae 
19* 


222  PUBLIC   COVENANTING. 

And,  in  regard  we  are  under  the  most  solemn  obli- 
gations, by  the  word  of  God,  and  by  vows  agreeable 
to  it,  lying  on  us  in  this  church,  to  study  the  advance- 
ment of  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  the  good  of  his  people,  and  the  uniting  of  their 
hearts  and  minds  in  his  service,  we  do,  in  the  presence 
of  GrOD,  who  searcheth  the  heart,  declare  our  resolu- 
tion, through  his  grace,  to  watch  against  these  snares 
which  either  are  or  may  be  laid  to  draw  us  and  our  bre- 
thren into  that  defection  from  the  Lord,  and  into  that 
detestable  neutrality  in  his  cause,  which  prevail  at  this 
time.  And,  knowing  that  the  cross  and  reproach  of 
Christ  must  lie  on  us  in  following  him,  we  shall,  the 
Lord  assisting  us,  go  forward  in  his  way,  taking  heed 
to  ourselves,  lest  we  be  deterred  from  it  by  the  revilings 
of  men,  or  seduced  from  it  by  their  fair  speeches ;  and 
shall  sincerely  and  constantly  labour,  in  our  places  and 

respects,  what  she  does  not  require  her  own  members  to  hold. 
Latitudinarian  terms  of  communion  are  wider  than  those  which 
Christ  himself  has  laid  down  in  his  word,  by  which  means  a 
door  is  set  open  for  Satan  to  sow  his  tares.  There  are  vari- 
ous sorts  of  Latitudinarians  :  1.  Some  are  for  comprehend- 
ing in  one  church  communion  all  who  profess  to  believe  in 
Jesus  as  the  true  Messiah,  and  to  receive  the  Scriptures  as 
the  rule  of  faith,  laying  aside  all  creeds  and  confessions  of 
faith.  2.  Some  are  for  comprehending  in  one  church  com- 
munion all  Protestants,  whether  they  be  Episcopalians,  In- 
dependents, Baptists,  or  Presbyterians ;  asserting,  that  to 
decline  church  communion  with  persons  on  account  of  the 
tenets  by  which  any  of  these  denominations  are  distinguished, 
is  bigotry  and  party  zeal.  3.  Some  plead  for  church  com- 
munion with  all  who  bear  the  Presbyterian  name,  notwith- 
standing their  diflferent  opinions  about  doctrine,  worship, 
and  government ;  and  notwithstanding  that  they  refuse  to 
join  in  a  testimony  for  Presbyterial  church  order  and  govern- 
ment as  a  divine  institution,  against  Episcopacy  and  Inde- 
pendency. 4.  Some  are  for  a  sort  of  occasional  communion 
with  certain  denominations  of  Christians,  with  whom  they 
refuse  to  have  fixed  communion. 


PUBLIC  COVENANTING.  223 

stations,  by  all  means  which  are  of  divine  appoint- 
ment, to  promote  the  knowledge  of  Christ  in  this 
land,  and  to  maintain  the  purity  of  doctrine  and  order 
in  his  church ;  each,  and  all  of  us,  according  as  the 
Lord  calls  us,  endeavouring  that  those  who  are  known 
and  declared  enemies  to  the  truth,  may  neither  be  re- 
ceived into  our  fellowship,  nor  retained  in  it.  We 
engage  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  to  follow  that 
peace  which  is  founded  upon  an  agreement  in  the 
truth,  that  we  may  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one 
mind,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  goq>el ; 
and  to  beware  of  every  thing  that  has  a  tendency  to 
break  this  desirable  harmony  and  profitable  com- 
munion among  the  members  of  Christ's  mystical 
body ;  and  for  this  end  we  shall  endeavour  to  mark 
them  who  cause  divisions  and  offences,  contrary  to 
the  doctrine  which  we  have  received,  and  avoid  them  j 
and  shall  take  heed  lest  at  any  time  we  be  drawn 
into  foolish  and  unlearned  questions,  which  serve 
only  to  produce  strife,  or,  by  bitter  and  unadvised 
words,  hurt  the  cause  of  truth,  while  we  profess  to 
defend  it. 

And  as,  through  the  corruption  of  our  nature  and 
the  temptations  of  Satan,  together  with  the  influence 
of  evil  example,  and  the  insnaring  counsels  of  those 
who  are  themselves  the  servants  of  sin,  we  often  fail 
in  our  practice,  neglecting  what  the  Lord  requires, 
and  doing  that  which  he  forbids ;  we  profess,  before 
God,  that  there  is  no  relief  for  us  but  in  Jesus,  who 
saves  his  people  from  their  sins,  having  given  himself 
for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works.  That  we  may  be  set  free  from  condemnation, 
delivered  from  the  power  of  sin,  and  made  meet  to  be 
partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  we 


224  PUBLIC  COVENANTING. 

desire  to  depend  wholly  on  the  grace  of  God,  which 
bringeth  salvation ;  and  which  teacheth  us  that,  deny- 
ing all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live 
soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present  world, 
looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appear- 
ing of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
And,  in  the  sight  of  God,  the  Judge  of  all,  we  solemn- 
ly engage,  that  we  shall,  in  the  strength  of  his  pro- 
mised grace,  study  reformation  in  heart  and  life; 
endeavouring  to  have  always  a  conscience  void  of  of- 
fence towards  God  and  towards  man,  attending  to  the 
duties  enjoined  in  both  tables  of  the  law,  and  setting 
a  good  example  to  each  other ;  that  we  may  thus,  by 
well-doing,  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men, 
and  glorify  God  in  our  bodies  and  spirits,  which  are 
his.  And  when  sinners  entice  us,  we  shall  not,  through 
the  grace  of  God,  consent  to  them,  nor  follow  a  multi- 
tude to  do  evil ;  avoiding,  as  far  as  possible,  all  occa- 
sions and  temptations  which  may  draw  us  to  a  joining 
with  others  in  sin,  we  shall  study  to  walk  circumspect- 
ly, not  as  fools  but  as  wise. 

Farther,  knowing  that  through  many  tribulations 
we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  that  all 
who  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  must  lay  their  ac- 
count to  endure  less  or  more  persecution  from  this 
evil  world,  depending  on  God  as  a  very  present  help 
in  trouble,  we  shall,  through  his  aid,  study  patience 
under  the  rod,  meekness  of  spirit  towards  such  as  may 
injure  us,  and  sympathy  towards  all  men  in  distress, 
but  especially  those  of  the  household  of  faith.  In  all 
which,  calling  God  to  witness  the  uprightness  of  our 
intentions,  but  professing  our  own  weakness,  we  ear- 
nestly pray,  that  he  who  is  the  Father  of  mercies 
may,  through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  be  merciful  to 
us,  and  strengthen  us  by  the  power  of  his  Holy  Spi- 


PUBLIC   COVENANTING.  225 

RiT,  to  do  our  duty,  to  the  praise  of  his  grace  in  the 
churches.     Amen. 
Attested, 

William  Marshall,  Moderator. 

John  Anderson,  Presbytery  Ckrh, 


[Agreeably  to  the  design  of  the  preceding  Act,  the  above 
Solemn  Covenant  has  been  entered  into  by  the  Associate 
Presbytery,  and  by  several  of  the  congregations  belonging 
to  them :  others  of  them  are  preparing  to  follow  the  exam- 
ple soon  ;  and  it  is  expected  that  all  of  them  will  join  in 
this  solemn  work  in  due  time.] 


ACT 


ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 


Cimceming  the  Admission  of  Church  Members  to  Communion. 
Passed  at  Philadelphia,  April  28,  1791. 


The  Presbytery  having  taken  into  their  serious 
consideration,  a  petition  some  time  ago  laid  before 
them,  requesting  a  more  particular  direction  about  the 
way  in  which  ministers  and  sessions  ought  to  proceed 
in  the  admission  of  such  as  apply  to  them  for  being 
received  into  church  fellowship  : 

Declare,  that  though  there  is  so  much  said  in  our 
Declaration  and  Testimony,  as  may,  with  proper 
application  to  particular  cases,  be  sufficient ;  yet,  as  far 
as  possible  to  prevent  disorder,  and  to  assist  all  con- 
cerned in  this  matter,  the  Presbytery  agree  to  transmit 
a  copy  of  the  following  to  the  several  sessions  under 
their  inspection. 

The  general  rule  of  admission  to  the  seals  of  the  co- 
venant, is  a  profession  and  a  practice  agreeable  to  the 

227 


228  CONCERNING   ADMISSION. 

Lord's  word.  More  than  this  none  have  a  right  to  de- 
mand, and  if  less  is  accounted  sufficient,  we  act  not  up- 
rightly in  the  cause  and  work  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  solemnly  charges  us  to  teach  his  church.  To  ob- 
serve all  things  whatsoever  he  has  commanded  us. 

In  agreeableness  to  this  general  rule,  the  following 
particular  rules  ought  to  be  attended  to : 

I.  That  in  congregations  where  there  is  a  session, 
none  ought  to  be  admitted  to  communion  but  by  the 
session  constituted. 

II.  That  the  profession  of  the  faith  required  of  those 
who  desire  communion  with  us,  shall  be  an  adherence 
to  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  Larger  and 
Shorter  Catechisms,  Form  of  Presbyterial  Church  Go- 
vernment, and  Directory  for  the  Public  Worship  of  God, 
as  these  are  received  and  witnessed  for  by  us,  in  our 
Declaration  and  Testimony :  and  also,  that  they  profess 
their  approbation  of  the  said  Declaration  and  Testimo- 
ny for  the  Doctrine  and  Order  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

III.  That  they  profess  their  resolution,  through 
grace,  to  continue  in  the  faith,  according  to  the  pro- 
fession they  now  make  of  it,  and  be  subject  to  the  order 
and  discipline  of  the  house  of  God ;  to  be  diligent  in 
their  attendance  on  public  ordinances ;  to  make  con- 
science of  secret  prayer ;  of  keeping  up  the  worship  of 
God  in  their  families  morning  and  evening,  and  of  pro- 
moting the  knowledge  of  Christ  and  his  truths — as  by 
other  means,  so  more  especially  by  a  holy  and  spiritual 
conversation. 

IV.  That  particular  care  ought  to  be  taken  that  none 
be  admitted  to  sealing  ordinances,  who  are  scandalous 
in  their  lives,  or  known  contemners  of  any  moral  duty. 


CONCERNING  ADMISSION.  229 

The  Presbytery  earnestly  recommend  to  sessions, 
who  are  courts  of  Christ's  house,  to  imitate  him  in 
condescending  to  the  weakness  of  his  people;  and  if  it 
appear,  that  persons  who  apply  for  admission  to  seal- 
ing ordinances,  are  disposed  to  use  the  means  of  know- 
ledge, are  desirous  of  instruction,  closing  with  the  end 
of  our  association,  according  to  the  measure  of  their 
knowledge,  and  concerned  to  be  kept  in  the  Lord's 
way;  though  such  persons  may  be,  in  many  respects, 
of  small  attainments,  and  of  little  knowledge,  or  utter- 
ance :  yet  they  are  by  no  means  to  be  excluded  from  our 
communion,  but  rather  invited  and  heartily  received, 
that  such  promising  beginnings  may  be  encouraged. 

Attestedj 

William  Marshall,  Moderator. 
John  Anderson,  Presbytery  Clerk. 


AOT 


or  THB 


ASSOCIATE  SYNOD  OF  SCOTLAND, 

Defining  tM  connexion  ofihe  Associate  Presbytery  of  Penn- 
sylvania, with  said  Synod. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  misapprehensions  entertained  by  some,  con- 
cerning our  connexion  with  our  brethren  of  the  Gene- 
ral Associate  Synod  in  Scotland,  rendered  it  necessary 
that  this  connexion  should  be  particularly  and  distinctly 
stated;  so  that  none  might  be  at  a  loss  to  know  how  far 
it  extended,  and  that  misunderstandings  concerning  it 
might  not  arise  among  ourselves.  The  Associate  Pres- 
bytery of  Pennsylvania  consulted  the  Associate  Synod 
on  that  head  in  1786,  and  the  Synod  agreed  to  the 
articles  as  here  printed;  which  being  laid  before  the 
Associate  Presbytery,  Nov.  3,  1788,  they  were  unani- 
mous in  declaring  their  satisfaction  with  them,  and 
their  resolution  to  maintain  the  connexion  subsisting 
between  them  and  their  brethren,  according  to  the 
terms  of  these  articles. 

W.  Marshall. 


231 


232  ACT  OF  THE  ASSOCIATE   SYNOD. 


At  Edinburgh,  May  7,  1788. 

The  Synod,  having  taken  into  consideration  an  Act 
of  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  dated 
June  2d,  1786,  declaring  the  nature  of  their  connexion 
with  this  Synod;  and  also  sundry  other  papers,  trans- 
mitted by  that  Presbytery,  relative  to  the  same  subject; 
and  desiring  to  remove  and  prevent  all  misunderstand- 
ings, which  might  now  or  afterwards  mar  a  profitable 
intercourse  between  those  in  this  country — who  are  en- 
deavouring to  bear  witness  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel 
against  the  common  defection — and  those  in  North 
America,  who  are  disposed  to  join  with  them  in  the 
same  cause: — They  declare,  that  the  subordination 
of  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  to  this 
Synod  has,  from  the  beginning,  been  no  more  than  a 
Scriptural  union,  according  to  the  plan  of  Presbyterial 
church  government :  That,  being  wholly  of  a  spiritual 
nature,  it  never  did  affect  any  in  their  civil  rights  or 
interests;  and,  consequently,  that  there  was  not  the 
smallest  ground  for  the  adversaries  of  that  Presbytery 
to  reproach  them,  as  subordinate  to,  and  under  the 
control  of,  a  foreign  jurisdiction;  as  holding  the  es- 
tates, that  is,  the  churches,  they  possess,  at  the  will  of 
persons  beyond  seas :  That,  in  answering  applications 
made  to  them  from  that  part  of  the  world,  this  Synod 
has  been  at  no  small  trouble  in  sending  ministers,  and 
in  procuring  charitable  contributions  for  defraying  the 
expenses  of  such  missions :  That,  in  what  they  have 
done,  they  have  studied  a  regard  to  the  interests  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ;  neither  receiving  nor  expecting  any 
benefit,  whatsoever,  in  return,  farther  than  the  testi- 
mony of  their  own  consciences,  bearing  witness  of  their 
not  being  unwilling  or  inactive,  when  called  to  labour 
for  promoting  the  knowledge  of  Christ  in  America,  and 


ACT  OP  THE  ASSOCIATE  SYNOD,  233 

for  the  assistance  of  such  as  there  professed  a  desire  of 
being  found  faithful  in  his  cause :  that  the  wavering 
and  defection  of  many  in  that  country,  who  once  pro- 
fessed to  join  with  this  Synod,  in  testifying  against 
such  Latitudinajrian  schemes  as  they  now  approve,  has 
not  discouraged  the  Synod  from  assisting  the  remnant 
who  have  endeavoured  to  hold  fast  the  profession  of 
their  faith : — Therefore,  the  Synod  agree,.  That  the  in- 
tercourse between  them  and  the  Associate  Presbytery 
of  Pennsylvania,  shall,  in  time  coming,  be  regulated 
according  to  what  is  expressed  in  the  articles  which 
follow : 

I.  That  as  to  what  relate  to  scandals,  or  causes  of  a 
personal  or  private  nature,  the  Synod,  from  their  in- 
tercourse with  the  Presbytery  for  about  thirty-five 
years  past,  have  no  reason  to  expect,  that  appeals  in 
such  causes  will  be  prosecuted;  and  they  judge  the 
prosecution  of  such  appeals  would  be  inexpedient  and 
improper,  at  such  a  very  great  distance. 

n.  That  in  the  case  of  any  diflFerence  arising  in  the 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  about  the  profession  of 
the  faith,  or  about  any  truth  or  duty,  affecting  their 
connexion  with  this  Synod,  it  is  necessary  for  this  Sy- 
nod to  know  on  what  side  truth  and  duty  lie.  The 
Synod,  therefore,  judge  it  equitable  and  necessary,  that 
causes  of  this  kind  may  be  brought  before  them  by 
Reference  or  Appeal. 

in.  Though  the  errors  in  doctrine,  corruptions  of  the 
worship  of  God,  and  defections  from  the  Reformation 
T€stimony,  prevailing  in  Britain  and  America,  may  be 
materially  the  same ;  yet,  as  these,  in  several  instances, 
assume  a  different  appearance,  and  are  promoted  un- 
der different  pretences  in  the  last  of  these  countries : 
20* 


234  ACT   OF   THE  ASSOCIATE   SYNOD. 

The  Synod,  therefore,  judge  it  expedient  for  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Pennsylvania  to  state  the  profession  of  their 
faith,  so  as  it  may  always  be  a  direct  and  proper 
Testimony  against  the  evils  by  which  that  part  of  the 
Lord's  vineyard,  in  which  they  labour,  is  more  im- 
mediately endangered;  provided,  that  Presbytery  do 
not  give  up  any  truth  testified  for  by  this  Synod,  nor 
enter  into  any  connexion  with  such  as  oppose  them- 
selves to  any  part  of  our  Christian  and  Witnessing 
Profession. 

IV.  The  Formula  of  the  questions  to  be  put  to  eccle- 
siastical office-bearers  at  their  ordination  in  said  Presby- 
tery of  Pennsylvania,  ought  to  contain  an  engagement 
to  maintain  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  against  such  as  op- 
pose it  in  that  part  of  the  world.  But  the  questions 
in  said  Formula  ought  to  be  as  near  to  those  put  by 
this  Synod  in  Britain  and  Ireland  as  the  state  of  the 
church  in  America  will  admit;  and  none  of  these  shall 
contradict  the  Testimony  maintained  by  this  Synod. 
And  farther,  it  is  requisite  that  the  said  Formula  con- 
tain an  engagement  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  bond  of  peace — in  contending  for  the  faith  and 
order  of  the  church,  as  a  part  of  the  same  Witnessing 
Body  with  this  Synod. 

V.  As  in  making  confession  of  sin,  the  Presbytery 
of  Pennsylvania  ought  to  take  particular  notice  of 
those  offences,  backslidings,  and  transgressions  of  the 
laws  of  God  which  are  to  be  found  among  themselves, 
and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  where  they 
dwell;  and  as  they  cannot  join  in  the  very  same  con- 
fession of  sins  made  by  this  Synod,  in  acts  of  humilia- 
tion and  fasting,  and  also  in  public  covenanting,  by 
reason  of  some  things  in  these  peculiar  to  this  coun- 
try ;  The  Synod,  therefore,  judge  it  expedient  for  that 


ACT  OP  THE  ASSOCIATE   SYNOD.  235 

Presbytery  to  proceed,  as  the  Lord  may  give  them  op- 
portunity, to  renew  their  solemn  covenant  engage- 
ments in  a  manner  agreeable  to  their  circumstances; 
provided,  still,  that  the  acknowledgment  of  sin,  and 
engagement  to  duties,  made  by  that  Presbytery, 
though  necessarily  different  in  words,  be  the  same  as 
to  the  principal  matter  and  design,  with  the  confession 
and  engagement  made  in  solemn  covenanting  by  this 
Synod. 

VI.  If  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  shall  be  found 
departing  from  the  profession  made  by  them,  and  acting 
contrary  to  these  Articles ;  it  cannot,  in  that  case,  be  ex- 
pected, that  the  Synod  will  countenance  them  in  such 
a  course,  by  sending  ministers  to  their  assistance.  The 
offence  must  be  removed,  before  the  Synod  can  rea- 
sonably appoint  any  of  their  number  to  take  part  with 
that  Presbytery.  And  on  sufficient  evidence  that  the 
said  Presbytery  were  gone  into  a  state  of  apostacy  from 
their  former  testimony,  and  Ordination  Vows;  the  Sy- 
nod claim  it  as  competent  to  them  to  pass  a  judicial 
condemnation  of  the  said  Presbytery,  as  no  longer  a 
part  of  the  same  Witnessing  Body.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  shall  find  any 
thing  in  the  proceedings  of  this  Synod,  which  they 
judge  contrary  to  truth  and  duty;  they  shall  have  the 
same  liberty,  as  others  connected  with  the  Synod,  to 
remonstrate,  protest,  or  testify  against  the  same. 

Vn.  If  the  Synod  shall  be  informed  as  to  any  mem- 
ber belonging  to  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  that 
he  acts  contrary  to  his  profession  and  to  these  Articles; 
they  shall  transmit  an  account  of  this  matter  to  that 
Presbytery;  who  shall  inquire  into  it,  and  satisfy  the 
Synod  as  to  the  accused,  by  showing  either  that  he  was 
not  guilty,  or  that  he  hath  been  censured  according  to 


236  AOT  OP  THE  ASSOCIATE  SYNOD. 

the  nature  of  his  offence.  And,  in  like  manner,  if  the 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  shall  find  cause  of  com- 
plaint, as  to  any  of  the  Brethren  in  this  country;  they 
shall  inform  the  Presbytery  to  which  the  member 
complained  of  belongs,  who  shall  judge  of  that  matter 
according  to  the  ordinary  rules  of  procedure  in  such 


VIII.  As,  by  the  laws  of  Christ's  house,  we  are  bound 
to  assist  one  another  as  the  Lord  gives  us  opportunity; 
particularly  in  the  duty  of  maintaining  a  Testimony 
against  the  general  and  increasing  defection  of  this  ge- 
neration, from  the  truth  and  cause  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :  This  Synod  therefore  resolve.  That  they  will 
endeavour,  as  they  formerly  and  of  late  have  done,  to 
answer  the  requests  of  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania, 
by  appointing  and  sending  ministers  or  preachers  to 
their  assistance,  according  as  there  may  be  need  for 
other  labourers  in  that  part  of  the  Lord's  vineyard; 
and  for  this  end,  they  shall  use  all  proper  means  to 
persuade  such  as  may  be  appointed  for  that  service  to 
undertake  it. 

IX.  As  the  Synod  shall  communicate  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Pennsylvania,  such  of  their  acts  as  are  of 
general  concern,  particularly  such  as  respect  the  pro- 
fession of  the  faith  made  by  this  Synod;  so  that  Pres- 
bytery shall  transmit  to  the  Synod  all  acts  of  the  same 
nature  passed  by  them;  and  no  new  terms  of  commu- 
nion shall  be  enacted  by  them,  till  the  overtures  con- 
cerning the  same  shall  have  been  transmitted  to  this 
Synod  for  their  consideration : — That,  by  these  means, 
unity  may  be  maintained,  misunderstandings,  arising 
from  want  of  due  information,  prevented,  and  the  most 
speedy  and  effectual  methods  taken  to  remove  any  dif- 
ference which  may  arise. 


ACT   OF  THE  ASSOCIATE   SYNOD.  237 

Farther,  the  Synod  declare,  That  as,  agreeably  to  this 
Act,  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  shall  have  all  the 
aid  this  Synod  can  afford — by  sending  ministers  to  their 
assistance  when  they  may  be  wanted,  and  interposing 
their  authority  for  this  end ;  so  they  will  endeavour  to 
give  speedy  judgment  in  matters  of  faith,  which  may 
come  before  them  by  Reference  or  Appeal  from  the 
above  mentioned  Presbytery ;  and  do  every  thing  in 
their  power  for  promoting  the  Testimony  in  North 
America :  The  design  of  these  Articles  being  in  no  in- 
stance to  hurt  them,  but  to  help  them,  and  strengthen 
their  hands  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

Extracted  by 

James  Moerison,  Si/nod  Ckrk. 


ORDINATION  VOWS 


ASSOCIATE  SYNOD  OF  NORTH  AMERICA; 


OR, 


THE  FORMULA  OF  QUESTIONS  TO  BE  PUT  TO  MINISTERS 
AND  ELDERS  AT  THEIR  ORDINATION.* 


FOR  MINISTERS  AND  ELDERS. 

Quest.  I.  Do  you  believe  the  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament  to  be  the  Word  of  God,  and 
the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice  ? 

Quest.  II.  Do  you  believe  and  acknowledge  the 
whole  doctrine  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  and 
Catechisms,  Larger  and  Shorter,  agreed  upon  by  the 
Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster,  with  Commis- 

*  This  Formula  was  judicially  approved  at  Philadelphia, 
November  4,  1784,  by  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, now  the  Associate  Synod  of  North  America. 

239 


240  ORDINATION   VOWS. 

sioners  from  the  church  of  Scotland ;  as  these  are  re- 
ceived in  the  Declaration  and  Testimony,  published 
in  the  year  1784,  by  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Penn- 
sylvania, now  the  Associate  Synod  of  North  America, 
to  be  the  doctrine  taught  in  the  Word  of  God  ;  and 
are  you  resolved,  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  maintain  this,  as  the  confession  of  your  faith, 
against  all  contrary  opinions  ? 

Quest.  III.  Do  you  acknowledge  Presbtterial 
Church  Government  to  be  of  divine  institution,  and 
appointed  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  King,  Head,  and 
Lawgiver  of  the  church,  to  continue  in  it  to  the  end  of 
time ;  and  do  you  adhere  to  the  same,  as  stated  in  "  The 
Form  of  Presbyterial  Church  Government  and  Ordi- 
nation of  Ministers,"  agreed  upon  by  the  Assembly  of 
Divines  at  Westminster,  and  testified  for  by  us :  and 
are  you  resolved,  by  the  Lord's  assistance,  to  maintain 
and  defend  the  same  against  all  contrary  opinions  ? 

Quest.  IV.  Do  you  adhere  to  the  Declaration 
and  Testimony  of  the  Associate  Synod  of  North  Ame- 
rica, for  the  Doctrine  and  order  of  the  Church  of 
Christ,  and  against  the  errors  of  the  present  time  ? 
And  do  you,  in  your  judgment,  disapprove  the  mani- 
fold errors  and  Latitudinarian  schemes  prevailing  in 
these  United  States,  which  are  condemned  in  that 
Declaration  and  Testimony,  as  contrary  to  the  word  of 
God,  to  the  profession  of  the  faith  we  make,  and  to  the 
solemn  engagements  we  in  this  church  are  under  to 
continue  in  that  profession  ? 

Quest.  V.  Do  you  acknowledge  the  perpetual  obli- 
gation of  the  Solemn  Covenant  Engagements  we 
in  this  church  are  under,  as  these  have  been  explained 
in  the  Declaration  and  Testimony  of  the  Associate 


ORDINATION  VOWS.  241 

Synod  of  North  America ;  and  are  you  resolved,  through 
grace,  to  endeavour  faithfulness  in  adhering  to  the  Tes- 
timony maintained  by  the  Lord's  witnesses  for  these 
reformation  principles  we  profess — in  contending  ear- 
nestly for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  and  in 
attending  to  all  these  duties  which  the  Lord  in  his  word 
has  enjoined  upon  us,  and  which  we  in  this  church 
are,  by  these  our  covenant  engagements,  bound  to  per- 
form ? 

Quest.  VI.  Do  you  engage  to  submit  yourself  wil- 
lingly and  humbly,  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  to  the 
admonitions  of  this  Presbytery,* — [of  the  Session  of 
this  congregation,f  ]  remembering  that  while  they  act 
uprightly,  they  judge  not  for  men,  but  for  the  Lord, 
who  is  also  with  them  in  the  judgment ;  and  do  you 
promise  that  you  will  endeavour  to  maintain  the  spi- 
ritual unity  and  peace  of  this  church,  carefully  avoid- 
ing every  divisive  course,  neither  yielding  to  those 
who  have  made  defection  from  the  truth,  nor  giving 
yourself  up  to  a  detestable  neutrality  and  indifference 
in  the  cause  of  God,  but  that  you  will  continue  stead- 
fast in  the  profession  of  the  reformation  principles 
maintained  by  us,  and  by  our  brethren  of  the  Associate 
Synod  in  Scotland ;  and  do  nothing  directly  or  indi- 
rectly to  destroy  our  unity  with  them  in  the  cause  and 
work  of  God ;  and  this  you  promise,  through  grace, 
notwithstanding  any  trouble  or  persecution  you  may  be 
called  to  suffer,  in  studying  a  faithful  discharge  of  your 
duty  in  these  matters  ? 

Quest.  VII.  Do  you  sincerely  aim  at  having  the 
glory  of  God,  love  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  zeal 

*  Since  the  erection  of  the  Synod,  they  ordered  the  fol- 
lowing -words  to  be  added  after  *'  Presbytery ," — «'  as  subor- 
dinate to  the  Associate  Synod  of  North  America." 

f  The  words  enclosed,  for  Elders. 
21 


242  ORDINATION   VOWS. 

for  the  edification  of  his  mystical  body,  for  your  great 
motives  and  chief  inducements  for  entering  into  the 
office  to  which  you  are  now  to  be  set  apart,  and  not  anj[^ 
selfish  views,  or  worldly  designs  or  interest  ? 

Quest.  VIII.  Are  you  conscious  that  you  have 
used  no  undue  methods  in  procuring  your  call  to  the 
office  of  the  holy  ministry*  [in  this  congregationf]  [to 
the  office  of  eldership  in  this  congregation  ?J] 

Quest.  IX.  Do  you  engage,  in  the  strength  of  our 
Lord  and  Master,  Jesus  Christ,  to  rule  well  your  own 
family,  [if  it  should  please  the  Lord  to  give  you  one,§] 
and  to  live  a  holy  and  circumspect  life,  following  after 
righteousness,    godliness,    faith,   love,   patience,   and 


FOR  MINISTERS. 

Quest.  X.  Do  you  promise  through  grace  to  perform 
all  the  duties  of  a  faithful  minister  of  the  gospel,  in 
preaching  it,  not  with  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom, 
but  in  the  purity  and  simplicity  thereof,  not  ceasing  to 
declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God ;  as  also  in  catechis- 
ing, exhorting  from  house  to  house,  visiting  the  sick, 
and  performing  whatever  other  duties  are  incumbent 
on  you  from  the  word  of  God,  as  a  faithful  minister  of 
Jesus  Christ,  for  the  convincing  and  reclaiming  of  sin- 
ners, and  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ  ? 

FOR  MINISTERS. 
Quest.  XL  Do  you  accept  of  the  call  given  you,  to 

*  For  ministers  ordained  witliout  a  particular  charge. 
+  For  ministers  ordained  to  a  particular  charge. 
X  For  elders. 
I  The  enclosed  words  to  be  used  as  there  is  occasion. 


ORDINATION  VOWS.  243 

labour  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  in  this  congregation ; 
and  engage  that,  through  grace,  you  will  endeavour  to 
act  in  it  as  a  wise  and  feithful  servant  of  Jesus  Christ 
■^maintaining  a  tender  regard  to  his  flock,  rightly 
dividing  the  word  of  truth,  and  watching  for  souls  as 
one  that  must  give  an  account? 

FOR  ELDERS. 

Do  you  accept  of  the  call  given  you  to  the  office  of 
eldership  in  this  congregation,  and  do  you  engage, 
through  grace,  diligently  and  cheerfully  to  discharge 
all  the  parts  of  that  office ;  in  endeavouring  to  act  with 
a  single  eye,  and  an  upright  heart  in  judging  about 
the  matters  of  God;  and  labouring,  by  all  means  com- 
petent to  you  in  the  office  to  which  you  are  called,  for 
the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ? 

FOR  MINISTERS  AND  ELDERS. 

And  all  these  things  you  promise  and  engage  unto, 
through  grace,  as  you  will  be  answerable,  at  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  all  his  saints; 
and  as  you  would  desire  to  be  found  among  that 
happy  company  at  his  glorious  appearing? 


APPENDIX.* 


I.  Form  of  a  Testimonial  for  Church  Members  on 
LEAVING  A  Congregation. 

That  A.  B.  is  in  full  communion  with  the  Associate 

Congregation  of ,  in  the  county  of ,  and  state 

of ,  and  is  free  from  scandal  known  to  us,  is  at- 
tested this day  of ,  A.  D. . 

By  order  of  Session. 

A.  B.,  Minister. 

n.  Form  of  a  Call  for  Minister. 

We,  the  elders  and  other  members  of  the  Associate 
Congregation  of ,  in  the  state  of ,  in  full  com- 
munion, who  have  acceded  to  the  Lord^s  cause,  as  pro- 
fessed and  maintained  by  the  Associate  Presbytery  of 

,  as  subordinate  to  the  Associate  Synod  of  North 

America :  taking  into  our  serious  consideration  the  great 
loss  we  suffer  through  the  want  of  a  fixed  gospel  minis- 
try among  us,  and  being  fully  satisfied,  from  opportu- 
nities of  enj  oying  your  public  ministrations,  that  the  great 
Head  of  the  church  has  bestowed  upon  you,  Mr.  A.  B., 
such  ministerial  gifts  and  endowments,  as,  through  the 
divine  blessing,  may  be  profitable  for  our  edification : 
we,  therefore,  hereby  call  and  beseech  you,  to  come  to 
us  and  help  us,  by  taking  the  charge  and  oversight  of 
this  congregation,  to  labour  in  it,  and  watch  over  it,  as 

*  The  following  forms  have  been  added  to  the  Act  and 
Testimony  partly  with  the  view  of  filling  up  a  few  blank 
leaves,  but  chiefly  with  the  hope  they  may  prove  serviceable 
in  places  where  the  Book  of  Discipline — from  which  they 
have,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  three,  been  selected-—., 
cannot  be  obtained. —  W.  S.  Y. 

21*  245 


246  APPENDIX. 

our  fixed  pastor :  and  on  your  acceptance  of  this  our  call, 
we  promise  you  all  due  support,  respect,  encourage- 
ment, and  obedience  in  the  Lord. 

In  testimony  whereof,  we  have  subscribed  this  our 

call,  this day  of ,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  18 — , 

before  these  witnesses. 

AUest,  C.  D. 


E 


;S;1 


III.  Attestation  of  a  Call. 


That,   agreeably  to  presbyterial  appointment,   I 

preached  on  the day  of ,  in  the  congregation 

of ,  under  the  inspection  of  the  Associate  Presby- 
tery of ,  in  the  state  of ,  and  presided  in  the 

moderation  of  a  call  for  a  pastor  to  said  congregation, 
which  was  made  out  for  Mr.  A.  B.,  under  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  Presbytery  of ,  is  certified  at ,  this 

day  of ,  A  D.  18—,  by  C.  D. 

IV.  Form  of  an  Act  of  Licensure. 

The  Associate  Presbytery  of ,  in  the  state  of 

-,  having  taken  Mr.  A.  B.,  student  of  divinity,  on 


trials  for  license,  and  he  having  acquitted  himself  to 
their  satisfaction,  in  all  the  parts  of  his  trials,  did  at 

their  meeting,  on  the day  of ,  at ,  in 

the  county  of ,  and  state  of ,  and  hereby  do, 

in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  allow  and  ap- 
point him,  the  said  A.  B.,  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
peace  within  their  bounds,  and  in  all  other  places 
where  in  Providence  he  may  be  called. 
By  order  of  Presbytery. 

CD.,  Moderator. 

E.  F.,  Ckrk. 

Given  at ,  county  of ,  and  state  of ,  this 

day  of ,  A.  D.  18—. 


APPENDIX.  247 

V.  Certificate  of  Ordination. 

The  Associate  Presbytery  of ,  in  the  state  of 

,  having  had  a  call  from  the  congregation  of , 

county  of ,  and  state  of ,  to  Mr.  A.  B.,  preacher 

of  the  gospel,  presented  to  them,  which  they  sustained, 
and  which  he  accepted,  took  him  on  trials  for  ordina- 
tion, and  having  judged  him  duly  qualified  for  the 
office  of  the  gospel  ministry,  and  in  particular  for  the 
pastoral  charge  of  said  congregation;  and  being  pres- 
byterially  met  at  their  ordinary  place  of  public  wor- 
ship, on  the  day  of ,  did  then  and  there 

solemnly  set  apart  said  Mr.  A.  B.,  in  the  face  of  the 
whole  congregation  there  present,  to  the  office  of  the 
holy  ministry  in  said  congregation,  and  did  afterwards 
receive  him  into  ministerial  fellowship. 
By  order  of  Presbytery. 

C.  D.,  Moderator. 
E.  F.,  Clerk. 

Griven  at ,  on  the day  of ,  A.  D.  18 — . 

VI.  Form  of  Transfer,  in  case  of  a  Call  from  one 
Presbyti:ry  to  another. 

The  Associate  Presbytery  of in  the  state  of 

,  having  received  from  the  Presbytery  of ,  in 


the  state  of ,  a  call  for  Mr.  A.  B.,  to  the  pastoral 

charge  of  the  congregation  at ,  under  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  Presbytery  aforesaid,  and  said  call  being  by 
them  approved,  and  by  him  accepted;  they  did  and 
hereby  do,  transfer  and  remit  him  to  the  Presbytery  of 

for  ordination  (or  admission)  to  the  pastoral  charge 

of  said  congregation. 

By  order  of  Presbytery. 

CD.,  Moderator. 

E.  F.,  Clerk. 
Done  at ,  on  the day  of ,  18 — . 


248  APPENDIX. 

VII.  Form  of  Citation. 

By  order  of  the  associate  session  (or  Presbytery)  of 

,  you,  Mr.  A.  B.,  member  of,  elder  or  deacon  in, 

or  minister  at ,  are  summoned  to  appear  before 

said ,  and  answer  to  the  libel  herewith  presented, 

at ,  on  the day  of ,  and  at o'clock 

in  the .  (Signed)     CD.,  Moderator. 

E.  F.,  Clerk. 

Done  at ,  this day  of ,  A.  D.  18 — . 

VIII.  Form  of  Excommunication. 

The  associate  session  (presbytery  or  synod,  as  the 

case  may  require)  of ,  in  the  name,  and  by  the 

authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  King  and  Head  of 
the  church,  does  hereby  excommunicate  you,  casting 
you  out  of  the  communion  of  the  visible  church,  de- 
claring you  to  be  one  of  those  whom  our  Lord  has 
commanded  to  be  held  by  the  faithful  as  heathen  men 
and  publicans. 

IX.  Form  of  Citation  for  a  "Witness. 

Mr.  A.  B., 

You  are  hereby  summoned  by  the  Associate 

Session  (Presbytery,  &c.)  of to  appear  at , 

on  the day  of ,  to  give  testimony  in  a  cause 

pending  between  C.  D.  and  E.  F.  Lay  aside  all  ex- 
cuses, and  fail  not  to  attend.  A.  B.,  Moderator. 

C.  D.,  Clerk. 
This day  of ,  and  year  of  our  Lord  18 — . 

X.  Form  of  an  Oath. 

An  oath  is  to  be  administered  by  the  moderator,  in 
the  following  or  like  terms. 

^'  You  swear  by  God,  the  searcher  of  all  hearts,  that 
you  will  declare  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing 


APPENDIX.  249 

but  the  truth,  according  to  the  best  of  your  knowledge, 
in  the  cause  now  pending,  as  you  shall  answer  to  God 
at  the  great  day.'* 

XI.  Form  op  an  Application  for  the  Moderation  op  a 
Call. 

The  Associate  Church  at ,  in  the of , 

and  state  of ,  under  the  inspection  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of ,  being  at  present  vacant,  anxious  to 

obtain  the  stated  administration  of  the  word  and  ordi- 
nances among  them,  and  finding  themselves  able  and 

willing  to  support  it,  assembled  at ,  on  the 

day  of ,  18 — j  and  agreed  to  petition,  and  do  here- 
by most  heartily  petition,  the  Presbytery  for  a  modera- 
tion of  a  call,  and  appoint  A.  B.  and  C.  D.  their  com- 
missioners, to  represent  them,  in  this  behalf,  to  the 
Presbytery  at  their  next  meeting. 

By  order  of  the  Congregation. 

E.  F.,  Moderator. 

Done  at ,  the day  of ,  A.  D.  18 — . 

XII.  Form  op  an  Edict. 

The  Associate  Presbytery  of ,  in  the  state  of 

,  having  received  a  regular  call  from  the  congre- 
gation at ,  in  the of ,  and  state  of , 

to  Mr.  A.  B.,  preacher  of  the  gospel,  to  be  their  Minis- 
ter; and  the  said  Mr.  A.  B.  having  undergone  trials  for 
ordination;  and  the  Presbytery  judging  him  qualified 
for  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  and  fit  to  be  pastor  of 
this  congregation,  the  call  whereof  has  been  by  him  ac- 
cepted, have  resolved  to  proceed  to  his  ordination  on 

the  day  of ,  unless  somewhat  occur  which 

may  lawfully  impede  it;  and,  therefore,  do  hereby  give 
notice  to  all  concerned,  that  if  they,  or  any  of  them, 
have  aught  to  object  why  the  said  Mr.  A.  B.  should 
not  be  admitted  pastor  of  this  congregation,  they  may 


250  APPENDIX. 

repair  to  the  Presbytery,  which  is  to  meet  at ,  on 

the  — —  day  of ,  with  certification,  that  if  no 

objection  be  then  made,  the  Presbytery  will  proceed 
without  farther  delay. 

By  order  of  Presbytery. 

C.  D.,  Moderator. 
E.  F.,  CUrk. 
Done  at ,  on  the day  of ,  18 — . 

XIII.  Form  of  an  Act  of  public  Suspension. 

Whereas  A.  B.* hath  been  convicted  before 

thef of ,  [And  whereas  the have,  from 

time  to  time,  and  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  endeavoured, 
without  effect,  to  reclaim  their  offending  brother,J]  and 
whereas  his  continuing  in  his  sin,  and  refusing  to  listen 
to  the  admonitions  of  his  brethren,  render  it  necessary 
for  the  honour  of  Christ  Jesus,  for  the  purity  of  his 
religion,  for  a  warning  to  others,  and  for  his  own  be- 
nefit, to  inflict  on  him  a  public  censure  of  the  Lord's 

house ;  the did,  and  hereby  do,  in  the  name  of 

the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  as  a  court  constituted  in 
his  name,  suspend  and  exclude  the  said  A.  B.  from  the 
privileges  of  the  church,  till  he  return  from  the  error  of 
his  way,  and  give  solid  proofs  of  unfeigned  repentance. 

*  Membeb,  or  ELDER,  or  DEACON,  of  this  congregation; 
or  minister,  elder,  deacon,  or  member  of  the  congregation 
at . 

f  Session  of  this  church,  or  Session  of  the  Church  at , 

or  Presbytery  of . 

J  The  clause  included  in  [ ]  to  be  omitted  in  cases 

where  a  public  suspension  may  be  necessary  without  these 
previous  steps. 


CONTENTS. 


PAOB 

NARRATIVE  concerning  the  Reformation  Testimony...       5 

DECLARATION  AND  TESTIMONY 85 

Part  First.     Concerning  God's  goodness  to  his  church, 

and  the  Testimony  for  Truth  maintained  by  her...     85 

Part  Second.  Concerning  the  Doctrine  of  the  Church 
of  Christ 97 

Part  Third.     Concerning  the  Order  of  the  Church  of 

Christ 147 

CONCLUSION 175 

An  ACT  concerning  Public  Covenanting 183 

Acknowledgment  of  Sins 203 

Solemn  Covenant  Engagement  unto  Duties 219 

An  ACT  concerning  the  Admission  of  Church  Members 

to  Communion 227 

An  ACT  of  the  Associate  Synod  of  Scotland,  defining 
the  Connexion  of  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Penn- 
sylvania with  said  Synod 231 

ORDINATION  VOWS  of  the  Associate  Synod  of  North 

America 239 

APPENDIX 245 


THE  END. 

251 


Theological 


-Speer  Library 


Wiy™«^  01013  1128 


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